You Know Me
by becsmc
Summary: Steve thought having his bestfriend trying to kill him was bad enough. Now finding out the women he loves was also alive...but also programmed to do the same. Could his life get more complicated? Now Steve is determined to get back the women he loves. Can he do it before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

It has been two months since The Winter Soldier had saved Captain Steve Rogers when he was supposed to kill him. Neither man knew what it meant. Steve was so confused on what this meant about Bucky and where his mind set was. Natasha and the rest of the team did their best in aid with Steve to look for Bucky. However, Steve wasn't even sure himself what he would do when or better yet if they found Bucky. They did their best to try and find his tracks But the soldier was good at not being found. Steve was beginning to grow impatient as the time crept longer.

"What do we have so far?" Sam asked as he came into the conference room in the Avengers tower "Nothing" Steve sighed as he slid the palm of his hands down his face blowing a raspberry as he hands dropped trying to not get too stressed out.

"Look, there isn't much to go off here, we're doing the best we can" Natasha said to Steve as she looked down to the only file that they have on the Winter Soldier. Steve looked at the file and then to her "Shouldn't we have more on this? We all saw what the sold-...what Bucky can do, how has he not been on the radar before? It's like you said he's been a successful assassin for some time now"

"Yes but I also said that he was like a legend, a ghost story"

"Yeah well it seems the soldier is as real as ghosts are" Sam shrugged as he looked down to the file, taking it from the table and reading it to himself. Natasha raised her eyebrows seeing his point and then looked back to Steve. She noticed the redness around his eyes, he had been having trouble sleep. She could tell by her hearing him always getting up and walking round the tower since that's where they all live now. She lightly poked his arm to get his attention, with no energy in his system at all. He slowly looked up to Natasha, she tilted her head and gave him a concerned smile "You won't get anywhere by not sleeping you know?"

"I know" he sighed and repeated "I know"

"Go get some rest, Cap, you won't be doing any good by running through the same things...if we see or hear anything I'll do my best to wake you"

Steve looked to Natasha, very much hesitating. Natasha nodded and mumbled "Go on"

Steve took his boots off the chair next to him and stood up out to his room and left Sam and Natasha to it. Clint was soon to be back so there is another one to help whilst Steve got some shut eye. Tony also said he'd scope out the city to see if there would be any tracks whilst Bruce did some more research. When he got into his room. Steve walked over to his old record player and put on some music to try and get him relaxed. But even that didn't help when the song that came on just so happened to be the favourite song of the women who he couldn't help but let slip through his fingers. The song was The Way You Look Tonight, the version was by Bing Crosby and Dixie Lee. He could never forget the night...

_It was the night that Steve had rescued the rest of the one 'o seventh. Obviously the men wanted to celebrate not still being under capture. Especially Bucky, he was itching for a drink and for a dance with a girl. Steve took some convincing to actually go out since he was tired when he got back to camp from everything he did to get the men back. But out of gratitude to them all. Steve went out. Of course they went to the Stork Club. From what Dugan remembered, they had the best whiskey in the whole of New York. They planned on getting drunk and they were doing a damn good job at doing so. Steve couldn't tell whether the fact he couldn't get drunk was good or bad right now because yes the men looked like they were having a good time but they didn't half look like idiots. _

_They didn't expect to have a visit from Peggy but she did come. Wearing a white long sleeved blouse along with a waist high black skirt that went to her knee caps with black small high heels. As usual, Peggy caught the men's attention, but she didn't give hers to them. She only gave her attention to one. Steve. "Hello Steve" Steve stood up straight from leaning on the bar._

_Steve did his absolute best not to scan her body. He knows she likes his attention to be on her eyes and not just her body. That's why he admires her figure when she isn't looking. _

_"Peggy, Hi, I-I didn't think you were coming" _

_"Well I wasn't planning on it but there isn't much to do back at the camp so I thought I may as well spend the rest of my night with you-the men and their celebrating" Peggy said resting her arm on the bar._

_"Well I'm glad you came" _

_Peggy turned to the barman and ordered her drink, when she saw that Steve eventually took his eyes off her to take his attention to Bucky who was asking him something, Peggy let her smile out. _

_The night turned into a loud one. Peggy was sat with Steve for the majority of the night. Steve walked over to the bar to see Bucky looking at them both "She's cute" Bucky nodded with an eager smile, egging his buddy on as he gave him a nudge as they turned to get another drink. _

_"Yeah she certainly is beautiful" Steve answered after he ordered his drink. _

_"You gonna ask her to dance then, Steve?"_

_Steve let out a light laugh and shook his head, still looking straight ahead he said "You know I can't dance, Buck" _

_Bucky looked over his shoulder and back to Peggy "Oh that wouldn't stop me" Bucky then looked back to Steve with his eyebrows raised. Steve felt his cheeks go red, he soon laughed it off and again shook his head and slapped Buckys shoulder "She's my friend" _

_"Friends don't look at each other the way you two do" _

_Steve shrugged and then stated "I think it's one sided" _

_"Believe me buddy it's not, she smiles at whatever you said every time you look away from her"_

_"Every time?"_

_Bucky shrugged and nodded "I've been watching, why do you think she came here tonight?" _

_Steve answered in a tone where he wasn't sure if what he was about to say was for some sort of trap to be mocked "She said to be with the guys and their celebrating?" Bucky let out a loud laugh, hitting his hand on the bar shaking his head. "What?" Steve said with a laugh feeling embarrassed._

_Bucky laid his hand on Steve's shoulder and spoke to him like he would speak to a five year old boy "No Steve, no she didn't, she came here tonight to spend time with you" Bucky then took his head off Steve's shoulder and took a swig of his beer. Steve glanced to Peggy and then looked back to Bucky "How can you be sure" _

_Bucky stood up straight, with his and Steve's beer in his hands and then whispered as if it was a secret "She hasn't spoke to anyone else all night" Steve didn't know how to comment, but Bucky walked away before he did. Steve followed Bucky over to the table and gave Peggy her drink. The three of them sat together and laugh and talked for ages, Steve was certainly glad to see that Bucky and Peggy were getting along. Hours past and the night grew older and the men started to leave. Steve and Peggy had lost track of time and only noticed that it was in fact rather late as Dugan and then rest stumbled out. _

_Bucky stood up "I better get back too, God knows we all need to get some shut eye before all the work begins...you two coming?" _

_Steve looked to Peggy and knew she was thinking the same as he was, he looked back up to Bucky and nodded "We won't be far behind, just going to finish these drinks" _

_Bucky pulled a little smirk to Steve along with a wink "Sure thing, g'night you two" _

_It was left to just the two of them. Steve looked down to his glass and said "I don't know if I said this, but you look very beautiful tonight" _

_Peggy gained an embarrassed laugh, she tucked a strand of hair behind her left ear and looked back up to him "Thank you, Steve...and I don't know if I said this but you did an amazing job today with those men today, it was very brave what you did, I know half of the men here couldn't have done it" _

_"It was the right thing to do, plus I couldn't rest not knowing if Bucky was dead or alive" _

_"I admire that" Peggy said in a soothing tone, then, when the song changed to The Way You The Tonight, Peggy couldn't help but smile when she heard it, she then admitted to Steve "This is my favourite song" _

_"Yeah it's lovely" _

_"It's my favourite to dance to as well" Steve smiled and then said with an embarrassed laugh "I can't dance"_

_"Oh yes you said before...would you like me to teach you?" _

_Steve looked back to her rather surprise, Peggy waited for an answer with her eyebrows raised with a caring smile on her face "Really? Yeah, okay" _

_"Okay, come on" Peggy slid her hand close to Steves, ready to take it for them to stand up and over to dance, she barely touched his delicate skin when the barmen spoke up "Sorry guys but we have to close up now" _

_Peggy quickly too her hand away from his, both of them looking very disappointed. Steve felt more than her. Peggy then shrugged and stated "There'll always be a next time" _

But of course. They never got the chance. The nights after that, they both found themselves too busy. The night that Steve and Peggy were out again, her in her fierce and gorgeous red dress, they wanted to dance then. But Steve got embarrassed, he also felt that if the rest of the guys saw Peggy and Steve on a date. They would think that would undermine Peggy's purpose in being part of this army which would be ridiculous but it would also be the way most men think. Even though everyone knew there was something between Steve and Peggy. They were still too nervous to admit it.

Steve dreamt about her after thinking about that night. He dreamt of her smile, her piercing brown eyes and that insanely adorable laugh. The way she spoke and the way she put men in their places and she wasn't afraid to show her purpose and her value. Above all his dream turned into another memory from that night, it was the night she first ever laid her lips on him. He got them a taxi and walked her to her tent, she thanked him for a wonderful evening and with slight hesitation at first, she then lay a tender kiss onto his cheek before walking into her tent and to bed. Steve remembered how he stood there for a moment in utter disbelief, he touched the spot on his cheek where the kiss lay and couldn't help but smile.

Steve was woken up an hour later by loud repeated bangs on his door "Wake up, Steve!"

He slowly opened and rubbed his eyes as he stood up and opened the door the a stressed out Natasha. He stretched and said with a yawn still with a concerned tone "Did you find something?"

Natasha weakly nodded her head with a very much still confused and worried face. Steve looked at her with even more dread and fear "Did you find him? Is he okay?" He went to walk past her to the conference room but down soon stopped to do so as Natasha placed her hands on his chest "It's not Sargent Barnes"

She then looked at her, now confused above anything else "It's not?"

Natasha lightly shook her head and gulped "It's something else...there's two of them"

"Two what?"

Natasha sighed and told him to follow her, he soon got frustrated when she didn't answer him straight away "Natasha, two what?"

Again she sighed and then answered as they just reached the door of the conference room, as she placed her hand on the handle and finally gave him an answer "Two Winter Soldiers"

He grew even more confused and still felt as if she was joking "Are you kidding? "

"I would I have woke you up if I was? Steve, that isn't even the most confusing part there's something else?"

"What?"

"This second winter soldier. We think its a women"

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**I have about four different stories on the go but I'm so excited to do my first steggy so screw it! So yeah I'm excited to do more of this. Please leave reviews below on what you think and suggestions on what you'd like to see :)**


	2. Chapter 2

They walked into the conference room. Bruce, Tony and Clint were now there. Bruce had on iPad in his hand looking through whatever it was. He looked very focused.

Tony walked over to Steve and yet again offered him a blueberry and Steve yet again refused. All he wanted, was to know what was going on.

Bruce said nothing when he passed Steve the tablet, when Steve was looking at it that was when he spoke "Tony took these screenshots whilst scoping out the city, his detector picked up the signal that he had implanted in his suit"

"And what exactly do you detect?"

"The Winter Soldier has serum in his veins, like you, my sensor picks up any superhuman traits which would be the serum"

Clint then spoke up with one thing in his mind. He hadn't seen the pictures so he was slightly confused "Hold on so you're telling me that one of these assassins has just been strolling around New York? In the outfit and everything"

Steve shook his head and shown Clint the photos. The detector hit off at the sight of a van. When Tony picked up the trace, he moved around the window where the serum was lighting up. He got some okay shot, but he was unable to get a clear view of the assassins face by the way they had their head at. You could still tell the assassin was a woman by the figure. She had brown hair that rested on her shoulders, wavy. In the photo the woman was wearing a vest top.

Clint tilted his head and then shown the iPad to Natasha "What's that on her shoulder?"

Natasha zoomed in to the assassins only visible shoulder which was the right. "Bullet scars"

Steve looked up from having looking to the floor "On the right shoulder?"

Natasha then looked up to Steve "Yeah, why?"

Steve walked a little bit closer and held his hand up and pointed to her, he was on to something. Steve gulped heavily and then said "Is there on near the top corner of her shoulder, then one below, diagonally below to the left by about two inches?"

She looked at him, then looked at the picture. Then back to him, mind slightly blown on how he knew it even when he didn't know there were scars in the first place until Clint had spotted.

"How did you know that?"  
Steve slid the palm of his hand down his mouth in disbelief. He sat down and looked to his hands. His mouth suddenly felt dry. Natasha handed Clint the iPad and sat on the chair facing Steve. She lent forward, leaning her elbows on her legs. Everyone else stayed quiet. And confused. "Steve? What's going on?"

"I erm-I know who she is"

"You do? Well who is she?" Sam said as he slapped Steve on his shoulder and then walked to behind Natasha. Steve wiped his suddenly watery eyes and cleared his throat as he then said "It's Peggy"

They were all aware of who Peggy was. Especially Tony. Howard would always cling on to the good old days. Peggy and Steve were a big part of the good old days. "Peggy? As in Agent Margaret Carter?" Tony said with a tone of disbelief. Steve nodded but didn't look to him.

"The same Agent Margaret Carter who is dead?"

Steve instantly stood up. It hits a nerve. He can't help but let that get to him. "I spent years thinking that Bucky was dead, do you honestly think that it's impossible? Peggy was in the SSR, she was an Agent who went on field jobs, how easy do you think it could have been for Hydra?" he snarled.

"I thought she died about two years ago in a nursing home?"

"That's what I was told" Steve said looking to Natasha, realising he had been lied to again. Natasha took her hands away from her mouth and looked up to Steve with nothing but guilt on her face "I'm sorry Steve, I was ordered from Fury to not tell you what actually happened to her, he made Tony do the same" Steve glanced daggers to Tony. But Tony just shrugged.

"Believe it or not we did it for your feelings"

"Peggy went on a field mission around three years after you had supposedly died, she was never seen again after that and was announced killed in action...we didn't want you to know that's how she died"

"Or how she just disappeared" Sam said looking at the picture "How do you know she had those bullets?"

"The bottom one was from combat training before I met her, and the top one...was the same day I had the body 'change', she followed me in a taxi when I chased after one of the men from hydra, when he was shooting, I dodged but one hit her. When I came back around the corner I saw her standing there bleeding out...I carried her all the way back to the headquarters, with her saying that she doesn't need my help and she could walk herself but I still insisted to carry her, I watched her get patched up before I got checked out myself"

Steve looked down at the table and gulped heavily again. They all looked at him with sympathy. They could see how this was tearing him apart. Steve laid his elbows on the table and laid his head into his hands

"I can't believe this, not only do I have my best friend trying to kill me but now I have the women I..." Steve sighed not even finishing his sentence. But they got the idea.

"Well we can't just sit around here, we have to do something"

"Yeah no shit, birdie" Tony mumbled as he walked past Clint.

"It's been hard enough finding Bucky, what in Gods name do you think we can track her down so easily?" Natasha said pointing down to the file work they had spread around at the table.

"We don't need easy, we just need possible, I've already lost one person I care about who was given back to me, I refuse to lose her too" Steve stood up and sighed "I don't care who I have to hit, I will find her" Steve walked past everyone in the room and left. As he began to walk down the hall. Natasha chased after him "Steve!"

Steve turned and nodded to her. Natasha placed her hands on his arms and then gave him an address. When he looked down. He saw it was for a nursing home "What use is this to me?"

"Bruce did some background work on Peggy whilst I went to go get you"

"Okay, and?"

Natasha laid on a warm smile "There's a woman who lives there, she was apparently Peggy's best friend, when you go ask for a women called Angie Martinelli, maybe she could shed some light on what happened when Peggy disappeared" Steve nodded looking down at the papers without looking to Natasha he mumbled "Yeah, thanks"

As he went to walk away, he was soon pulled back "Steve..." Natasha said in a quiet tone , in a way to plead that he looked to her. Eventually he did so.

She didn't even know what it was she wanted to say. "We'll get her"

"Yeah, I thought that about Bucky too, and now look where that's gotten us" Steve didn't know what else there was to say. There wasn't. So he walked back down the hall to his bedroom with the piece of paper in his hand.

"Hello Steve"

"Hi"

"...Hi"

Steve kicked the door as he entered his room. Running his fingers stressfully through his soft blonde hair. Then running the palm of his hands down his face, breathing heavily. Cannot believing what his life had come to. He lay on his bed. Thinking it all through. When he looked at in a dreaming way, it could be seen as perfect. Neither his love or his best friend was dead, they were here. Just as fit and healthy and young as he was. But the reality of that may be true, but also that they were totally oblivious to who they really were, they have gone through torture. And as Steve couldn't help but think, it was his fault they did. He turned his head to the compass that rested on his bedside table. He wanted to remember her. Just like that. Not like the way Bucky turned out. Programmed to kill.

He couldn't help but think of what he said to Sam and Natasha.

Even when he had nothing, he had Bucky. And then even when he lost Bucky, he still had Peggy. Was this God's way of being ironic? You can have the two people you love the most back into your life but the downside is they both have been programmed to kill you.

Steve couldn't help but think. If only he had listened to Peggy when he had the chance whilst on that plane. Maybe they could have worked it out. If he hadn't of laid his death bed without listening to her. Then maybe he could have survived. Been there for her, loved her. And shown her he loved her this time. He could have protected her, and regardless how much she would have said she doesn't need protecting which, yes is true she doesn't. Steve would still have loved to be the one to protect her when needed. Hell, he may have even found Bucky when they had the chance. No matter how much everyone else knew none of this was his fault. Steve will not stop thinking that it was his fault. He would not stop blaming himself. He could not stop blaming himself.

Natasha stood in the hall where Steve left her. She was soon welcomed with strong arms around her waist "I'm worried about him, Clint"

"He's just shaken up, he'll be fine" Natasha turned to face him, with his arms still around her waist. She laid her hands on his chest and sighed, then taking her eyes to his "He hasn't been the same since he found out Bucky was the Winter Soldier, now finding out this? How much more do you think he can take"

"Steve has grieved the both of them for many years, he will be very confused, his head and heart will be all over the place right now even more than before, but as long as he focuses and comes to grips with the situation, we'll go from there"

"And what then Clint? He could hardly even accept the fact that he may have to kill Bucky when all that was happening, killing your best friend, now that is pain, but killing the person that you love more than anything? You know that I know what that feels like, its unbearable"

Clint kissed Natasha on the forehead "But you know what the good thing in that is? You didn't end up having to kill me, and I was brainwashed just like she is, which means that if we can get me through this and although it was a different technique of brainwashing, there can still be hope, we won't get anywhere with this if we think straight to him or any of us having to kill her"

Natasha was going to argue back. That Steve would never let anyone touch her, he wouldn't let anyone hurt her no matter what the situation is. Hence the fact that she knew that he could turn against the team from rejecting the possibility that there is no hope to fix Peggy. But Clint shook his head and gave her a kiss to shut her up. "Come on, let's go to bed, it's getting late"

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**Poor Steve! Please leave reviews below it would mean a lot :)**


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning. The rest of the team woke up. Clint went into their gym. He found Steve already in there. He got up bright and early, taking out all his stress and anger out on the third punch bag that he has took it out on. Clint saw the two split punch bags pushed to the side

"Careful, Stevo, you'll end up running out of them"

Steve stopped his punching and lent his sweating forehead against it. Breathing heavily. Clint walked over to Steve and placed his hand on Steve's shoulder "You okay?"

Steve shook his head and then took his head off the punch bag, he looked to Clint and said nothing at first, he just kept shaking his head "I can't get her out of my head, which is not really anything unusual but-"

"You're thinking about what she's doing now and not the memories"

Steve didn't comment. But Clint knew that he was definitely right by what he just said. Steve gave another stressful punch to the bag and then sat down on one of the weight lifters. He looked outside the window "I wonder what they're doing...he's probably hiding somewhere from hydra and she's probably with them right now having her brain picked at with a machine"

Clint didn't oppose to it. Because how could he say that what he just said wasn't true? It may very well be true. He looked out the window the same as Steve and did his best to shine some light on the very dark situation, he looked back to Steve who was still looking out of the window "You have to get in a right mind set if you want to do this"

"I'd say that in time I will get my head around this, but we don't have that much time do we? They are preparing her just like they did with Bucky, they thought he'd be the proper man for the job to finish me off but now that he's ran away, they bring in Peggy"

"You say that you got through to Bucky that day, who's to say it won't work out with her? If she loves you then-"

"Loved...possibly anyway, we never exactly talked about it...we never had the chance to" Clint couldn't help but sympathise for Steve. He couldn't imagine how that felt like, he didn't know what he'd even do if he lost Natasha the way Steve had lost Peggy. Deep down Steve was happy in a way, happy that she was alive. But that doesn't excuse the fact that she has been through torture and brainwashing for years. Steve can't help but think about what it would have been like for her, being tortured, it haunts his very soul.

Clint didn't want Steve to dwell too much, he sat down next to Steve and asked "What was she like?"

Steve couldn't help but grow a small smile

"Strong willed, independent, loyal...kind...she always took pride in what she did and never let any man undermine her for that"

"Sounds like a good women"

Steve nodded looking down to his hands as he unwrapped the bandages from his knuckles "Yeah she was...is"

HYDRA BASE 2.

"Where is she?"

"In her cell, where else?"

The Hydra soldier nodded and walked to where the cell was. Peggy heard the cell door open, but she didn't look up, she kept staring down to her hands. The Hydra soldier. Coronel Krazer, stood and stared at the assassin. She looked tired, she also looked extremely frozen. Hardly moving.

"I do hope we are not wrong to doubt your ability to do the job that your partner failed at"

Peggy kept her vision on her hands but eventually spoke

"я не подведу это, я закончу эту миссию, моя цель моя цель. и я ударил его"

[i will not fail this, i will finish this mission, my target is my target. and i will hit it]

"I hope you prove yourself, we all know what will happen if you fail"

Peggy eventually lifted her head and slowly nodded "I'm very aware I'd pay the full price"

Krazer walked over to Peggy with a picture. A picture of Steve. When Peggy saw it. She obviously didn't recognise him at all. She just saw him as the mission

"This is your target, he stays up in his tower for the majority of his life since his last battle, we plan on causing a stir to get him out, we plan our attack for two days time, so get ready"

He turned to leave and then warned Peggy again as she stuck the picture of Steve on the wall.

"Soldier, do not fail us, we must finish this"

"He won't even get a chance to say his last words" Peggy mumbled as she threw her dagger to the photo, without even looking yet it still hit Steve in the forehead. When she was left alone, she turned to the picture and stared at it. Peggy walked over and took her dagger from the picture.

"Steve Rogers" Peggy read out as she saw the print of his name on the corner of the picture.

Peggy walked back a few steps and threw the dagger again, hitting the picture in the same spot like before  
"Ты моя"

[You're mine]

"So what're you going to do today?" Sam asked Steve as they sat down eating their breakfast. Steve took out the address that Natasha had given Steve last night, he put it on the table and slid it in front of Sam. When he looked at it, he raised his eyebrows feeling a little surprised "Wow, going for the old ladies?"

Steve grumbled a laugh and shook his head, he spoke when he swallowed the piece of bacon in his mouth "Natasha gave it to me, apparently one of the women there was a friend of Peggy's...Nat-well we both, think it would be a good idea to go and see her, ask her about Peggy and the day that she 'died' "

Steve put air quotes around the word died and then shrugged, he didn't know whether the idea sounded dumb or not. But Sam agreed that it would be a good idea for him to do this. Any information he could get on what happened to Peggy would be useful no matter who it's from. He couldn't exactly ask Howard. For obvious reasons.

"So how have you been? You were pretty upset last night"

Steve shrugged and looked down at the remainder of his food and played around with it "Better I guess, it was just a lot to take in"

"Of course it was man, you find out your girl is also a killing machine you-" Sam stopped his rambling when he saw Steve raise his eyebrows to him, not really sure how this was supposed to be making him feel any better. Sam realised this and pulled an embarrassed closed mouth smile "Sorry...Sorry"

"It's fine Sam, but yes it's not the best news...anyway I better get going"

"What about your breakfast?"

"You don't have to play that game Sam you can eat it" Sam grinned and wasted no time by pushing all the food onto his plate. Steve let out a chuckle, he gave Sam a slap on the shoulder then left to the garage.

As soon as Steve sat on his motorbike, Natasha came through the door "You're going now?"

"Was that not clear?" Steve chuckled motioning his hands to the bike. Natasha walked over to him and placed her hand softly on his shoulder "You do realise that this will not guarantee that any more sense will shine over this"

"I know, but if Peggy means as much to her as Bucky means to me then she'll remember every detail about that day"

"And take it easy, she is like 95 years old" Natasha said with a little smirk to lighten the mood. Steve raised his eyebrows "You know me, I'm good with women"

Natasha couldn't tell whether he was being serious or not. Either way she laughed.

"Get out of here"

Steve arrived at the nursing home. Steve being Steve, he was served straight away at the desk and was given access to speak to Angie. Especially as he added in that he needed information from her for official business. The nurse guided Steve to Angie's room, she politely knocked and entered the room "Angie? You doing okay, honey?"

"Oh yes, very well, Pauline and you?" Steve couldn't notice her chirpiness. When he got a look at her standing behind the nurse, he saw that she was sat in her arm chair, next to an old fashioned radio, swaying softly back and forth to Louis Armstrong with a loving smile on her face. Yes. She seemed like the type of women Peggy would have loved to be friends with. Steve would never had guessed that she was 94. She didn't look it at all. She certainly had the energy of someone much younger.

"I'm wonderful, Angie, thank you for asking, you have a visitor"

"Oh! Is it Pegs with the children?"

Steve could already tell how much Peggy meant to Angie since she named her daughter after her.

"No, your daughter said she'd come to see you tomorrow, remember?"

"Of course of course, so who is it?"

The nurse stepped aside and let Steve in. When Angie saw Steve, her smile soon dropped. She was shocked and rather confused. Steve looked to the nurse and then back to Angie. The nurse picked up that Steve would like to speak to Angie alone "I'll leave you two to it"

When the door closed. Steve took a step forward and spoke softly "Miss Martinelli, my name is-"

"Steve Rogers, there's no need to be coy, I know exactly who you are" Angie then motioned to the seat next to her "Please"

Steve thanked her for her welcoming greeting and sat in the chair beside her. Angie smiled brightly and just stared at him. Steve didn't speak, he let her stare. It must be odd for her, why he would visit her "Sorry! Sorry for staring I don't mean to be rude, it's just, well when you hear about you being still alive and...young, it is rather odd to see it all true in the flesh"

"I get that a lot...look Miss Martinelli-"

"Please call me Angie"

Steve nodded and took a mental note to remember "Right, Angie...the reason that I'm here is because of Peggy"

Angie let out a laugh and nodded "Well yes, I did catch that on pretty quickly" Angie then tilted her head and spoke with a slight sadness in her voice "What about my english?"

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**Yay for Angie. Had to add in Angie calling Peggy English and naming her kids after her else it just wouldn't be right. Please leave reviews below.**


	4. Chapter 4

Steve smiled at that nickname. He knew she would have had a love for that name, she found any of that funny when it wasn't being said in a mocking tone.

He took a deep breath and still spoke softly but this time with a more serious look on his face. He began to suddenly feel nervous, never thinking that he needed to ask such a question.

"I want-I need to know what happened, on the day she...the-the day she"

Angie gave an accepting smile, knowing what he was trying to say.

"Take a breath...the day she died?"

Steve just replied with a nod. It was then Angie who took the deep breath, she turned the radio right down. She thought she turned it off, but her hearing wasn't the best as Steve could still hear it. She gulped heavily and took another deep breath. As Steve never thought he'd have to ask that question, Angie also thought he was done answering it.

Angie looked at the photos, as then did Steve. He scanned through a lot. Angie with her children. Her husband. And at the end. With Peggy. Angie pointed to the picture and stated

"That picture was taken three weeks before she died" She kept her eyes on it but then grew a warm smile and a little chuckle, remembering the moments from that picture. "We took a day out to central park for picnic, just me, Pegs and my boyfriend who then became my husband as it turns out"

Steve couldn't help but smile. He was glad she had friends. All he thought about before the plane crash was if she would be alone. "He a friend of Peggy's too?"

Angie nodded and turned her head to Steve "Yes he was, Peggy was the reason Daniel and I met...well actually funnily enough he had a crush on her first" Steve laughed along with her at the last part of her sentence. But, you'd have to be a fool to not fall for those eyes. Angie then added with a shrug

"But he knew pretty quickly that she wasn't ready to let go of you...and then he fell for me, it was rather unexpected actually, Peggy knew that I rather had a crush on him so she nudged both of us"

Steve raised his eyebrows, impressed with Peggy. But then again, when she saw that something needed to be done she made it her job to get it done.

"Is Daniel here?"

Angie stared at him for a moment and lightly shook her head "No he's in another place entirely now"

Steve damned to himself inside his head. Why did he say that? It was almost obvious that he would no longer be here, for one she probably wouldn't be in here if he was still alive. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes. Feeling like an absolute idiot, he heard a light chuckle from Angie. She lightly squeezed his hand to make him look at her, she shook her head lightly "Don't worry about it, doll, my husband lived a full healthy life, he died five years ago in his sleep"

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be, he began to get a lot of trouble with his walking from losing his leg back in the war, then he had trouble breathing and so on, he's no longer suffering, just how it should be"

"Of course, of course" Steve nodded

Angie then shook out of talking about her late husband and got back onto what Steve came here for "I'm sorry, I'm here rambling about my husband" she laughed. Angie looked back to the pictures and then back to Steve. Now looking at him with a serious look on her face. She looked down at her hands for a moment as she started her sentence "I suppose it will come as no surprise to you that Peggy was as stubborn as they come" she looked back to Steve who had a warm smile on his face. Just remembering how stubborn and demanding she could be made him smile. Because she used to make him laugh most times she was being stubborn. Then when he laughed that made Peggy laugh.

Angie continued "Well she was stubborn till the day she died, there was a field mission that was to be carried out in the SSR, and Peggy being Peggy insisted that she would go with them, Agent Thompson who was the chief, obviously hesitated for one reason that she was a women and he was a rather sexist man, but even he couldn't deny that she could handle herself giving she saved his ass one time in Russia, she became very well respected in the SSR, so he let her go with him and three other agents...along with your friends the Howling Commandos"

Steve couldn't begin to express how glad he was that Peggy became a well respected Agent within the SSR, since he had to defend her every single day to the boys back in the war days. "Dugan was there?" he didn't like the fact that Dugan was there purely because he knew how close he and Peggy became in the time he spent with them. He imagines they became just as close of friends after he had gone. But he wasn't upset that Dugan was there because he was jealous, but because he knew how hard it must have been on Dugan when Peggy was lost. Angie nodded. She had met Dugan a couple of times, including at the supposed funeral. She would get to that later though.

"Yes...look...I don't know much on how it happened...Daniel didn't want to tell me too much, it would upset me far too much and he didn't like me to cry, he doesn't know what to do with himself-oh I'm rambling again sorry...they went in, going to find whatever it was that they wanted to find, they were ambushed and she just disappeared...poof gone, your friend Dugan and Howard Stark looked for her for over a year, they wouldn't stop...but they had to give up one day, they finally announced that she had died in action...I can never forget that day"

"Which? When she went missing or when they announced she had died?"

"The first one I suppose...I'll never forget it because that day changed my life in both ways, that day I got a phone call from a show that I auditioned for like a thousand years ago and it just so happened that I got the role, my first ever role on Broadway, I made it...so I went to go tell the person who believed in me more than anything from the start, Peggy" Angie felt herself start to tear up. She tried her best to carry on through the light sobs "I went to the house that she and I were living in, courtesy of Howard Stark, when I got home...Daniel, Dugan and Howard along with Edwin Jarvis all stood in front of me...and that's when they told me, that my bestfriend may never be coming home"

Angie couldn't choke back her tears, she began to sob. And sobbed hard she did. Steve placed his hand on her back and held her hand

"Angie I'm so sorry I-"

"Why do you want to know?" Angie said looking back to Steve, trying to get her vision of him back through her watery blur. She didn't mean to sound snappy, she was just curious. Steve handed her a tissue and spoke as she wiped her tears and tried to calm her sobbing down.

Steve debated. He debated on whether he should tell her the truth or not. Your bestfriend is alive...but she wants to kill everyone. Your bestfriend is alive, but she may end up getting killed again. Your bestfriend is alive, and yet I feel like I'm the one who is dead.

Telling Angie that Peggy was alive and also telling her the state that Peggy was in could just make Angie feel worse. She had mourned Peggy. She cried, she grieved, but at the end of the day she did carry on with her life. Just like Peggy did when Steve had 'died'. Steve was a noble man, he was trustworthy and honest. He never wanted to break that code. But.

"I had only just found out about you, you have grieved Peggy, I however am still grieving her"

Okay. He wasn't lying. That was true. He had been grieving her. It was half true. And Steve could live with that in this situation.

Angie then looked at him, she tilted her head and then actually cracked a warm smile, she squeezed his hand "You're still in love with her, aren't you?"

Steve felt a little taken back. No-one had ever asked him that before ever since he woke up. Slowly he nodded with a heavy heart "Yes, I am" Which made it all the more harder in this situation. It could be considered easy if he hated this women. But he didn't. He loved her, he had never felt love like it till he fell for her. Angie rubbed Steve's hand to console him

"You'll be okay, Steve"

Steve gave a grateful smile and then softly asked"Were there any police reports? Did your husband ever say anything about an investigation?"

"Yes, of course, Daniel was driven to find her along with Dugan, Howard and Edwin...but those reports will be long gone, it's most likely my daughter threw them out when he died and when I came here, she wouldn't have seen the point in keep them since they were in her fathers private things from his glory days"

Steve sat back in his chair. Natasha was right. This didn't exactly help. All he knew was that they never actually found solid evidence that she had died. All they knew was that she went missing and was never found. Which Steve admits, he would seen it as killed in action. But Steve also feels that he would never stop looking for Peggy. Not ever.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you with what you need, I wish I knew more...but when my daughter comes tomorrow I will ask her"

"It's okay Angie and thank you for that, I know it mustn't be easy for you to talk about these things"

"It mustn't feel that good to hear it either"

"It's not, now that you mentioned it" Steve grumbled a laugh, looking down at his hands. Angie looked at him and saw nothing but a heartbroken young man. Everything Peggy said he was, he turned out to be. Polite, kind, loyal...and strikingly good looking. She put her finger under his chin and lifted his head "It'll get easier, you got a second chance at life...don't spend the whole of it mourning Peggy on what could have been, but remember her and the memories you shared"

Steve took everything Angie said into a count. She spoke with such guidance and wisdom. She was speaking from experience. Both when losing Peggy and Daniel. Steve nodded and thanked her for her kind words "Did you keep anything of hers?"

Angie smiled and nodded she turned her body to her desk beside her bed and opened the door. She opened a cardboard box and placed it in Steve's lap.

"It's weird actually, she made this box, before she went on the mission she left this in my bedroom, and said if anything should happen to her, then I would keep this, so I could hold on to the part of her that she didn't let many people see...it's like she knew that specific mission would be a higher risk than before, but apparently she did the same to Daniel before she went to Russia, she always doubted anything bad would happen but she'd rather be safe than sorry"

"She would be very happy to know that you have kept this all these years"

"When I actually heard you were alive, I was going to have them give this to you after my time here is past, I know that's what she'd have wanted anyway"

Steve smiled and nodded to her "That's very kind of you" he looked back down and began to root through the things.

There wasn't too much. There was a silver ring that had small diamonds around it, Steve knew about this ring. It was her mothers, she didn't always wear it, she wore it some nights when they went out for some drinks. A gold chain necklace, that Howard had bought that Peggy on the first birthday that they knew each other. He had never seen her wear it. Peggy didn't talk about it or wear it that much, but she did keep it as a keep sake. She saw it as one of the most generous things Howard Stark had done, granted he thought that would earn him some brownie points for him to sleep with her, and then was very much mistaken. But generous non the less. Then there were some photos. Photos of her family, of her younger brother whom Steve knew of. He fought in the war. Her mother and father sat in front of a fireplace. Steve couldn't help but notice how much Peggy looked like her mother. Both undeniably beautiful women. Then, there was Steve himself. Steve when he was skinny, a weakling yet Peggy saw him for the man he truly was from the very start. Looking at the picture, and then thinking how there were many photographs taken of him after the serum, where he was how he was now. Muscular, taller. A better build of a man. And yet. She kept this version of him. Because this is the version of Steve that she fell for.

Steve then noticed an empty vile in the corner of the box. With some redness streaking down it. He tilted his head and squinted his eyes to it "What is that?"

"An empty vile"

Steve looked up to Angie and laughed "Yes I can see that, do you know what was in it?"

"Would you be rather baffled if I said you?"

Steve then looked to her. Very much freaked out and confused. Angie laid on a soft smile and corrected herself "Your blood I should say, it was the remaining vile of your blood, Jarvis gave it to Peggy...she poured it in the canal that streamed under Brooklyn bridge, I suppose, it was her way in coming to terms that you were gone"

Steve then slowly nodded, understanding. He looked to the vile and rolled it between his finger and his thumb. After a moment he then put it back down to the box "Take it" Steve looked back up to Angie and shook his head with a laugh "No, no she left it to you"

"Yes and like I said I was going to leave it to you, you may aswell have it" Steve gave another grateful smile "Thank you, Angie" Steve closed the box and put it beside him. He would have a proper look through it later.

Then, Steve's phone suddenly began to ring "Sorry" he went to decline, when he saw that it was Natasha he knew it must have been important, else she wouldn't be ringing. "Could you just excuse me a moment?"

"Take your time" Angie nodded with a smile, putting her glasses back on and looking down at her book as Steve answered his call

"Hello?"

"I'm really sorry to bother you-hey how's it going by the way"

"Erm" Steve glanced to Angie and then whispered "Not much to go on, but it feels good to talk to someone who knew her"

"Well, as long as it makes you feel better...but you gotta come back"

"Why?"

"I'll explain fully when you get here, but we have Peggy's data file from Hydra"

Steve furrowed his eyebrows, confused. How the hell did they manage to get those? But like Natasha said, she would explain later. "Alright I won't be long"

Steve hung up and looked to Angie "I'm sorry, but I have to go"

"Duty calls?" she laughed, understanding.

Steve chuckled and nodded "Yes you could say that thank you again for taking the time to see me today, it's helped me a lot"

"It's always nice to have someone to get things off their chest too, especially someone who has been through what you are going through now...I do hope you visit again soon, Steve, you've been the gentlemen that you were described as"

"Thank you, I will visit again soon and thank you for-"

Angie held her hand up and chuckled "It's my pleasure" Steve looked down to the box and then back to Angie, he smiled and nodded.

"Goodbye" Steve walked over to the door and then looked back to her as his name was called again. Angie rubbed her lips together and then stated to him "I just want you to know, that she loved you so much, and she missed you just as much"

Steve gulped heavily and smiled "I appreciate you saying that...and your daughters name? a good choice"

Angie couldn't help but smile brightly "We certainly liked it"

* * *

**This all made me emotional. I put Angie and Daniel together because they are both cute so why not be cute together! Angie will be back in future chapters too. :) Please review guys thanks :)**


	5. Chapter 5

It didn't take Steve long to get back to the Avengers tower.

"Please provide identification"

"JARVIS, this is Steve" Steve sighed. He suddenly began to feel tired, stressed out from being so emotional probably.

"Oh, Captain Rogers, welcome back"

"Thank you" The doors opened, Steve wasted no time. He took the elevator up to Bruce's study lab floor since that was where Natasha text him that's where they were. When the doors opened. He saw Bruce, Natasha and Tony all stood around Bruce's electronic devices. Natasha looked up to see Steve walk over to them "How was the old lady?"

Steve shook his head and put the box that Angie had given him on the desk and stood behind the computers that they were surrounded by.

"Her name is Angie, and she was really sweet...helped get things off my chest...now care to explain what you were saying on the phone?" Bruce then looked up, he motioned his hand towards himself, requesting that Steve comes around to stand next to him so he could see what was on the computer data base. Steve did exactly that. When he stood in front of the computer. A large picture of Peggy was on the screen, she had no make up on, her eyes were open yet she looked dead from her blank and lifeless look.

"This picture was taken when she was under a scanner tube" Natasha informed him, Tony looked to Natasha "That's not actually what they are called-"

"Don't really care"

Steve ignored their little bickering, he was trying his best to read the information that was on the computer but it wasn't making much sense to him. It was all science talk. Natasha didn't get it either until Bruce was kind enough to explain what it meant. Tony however found it amusing seeing Natasha look so dumb.

"I'm sorry but this isn't making any sense"

Bruce and Tony looked to Natasha. She was more gentle with Steve's sensitivity "Okay, come here" Natasha pulled Steve slightly to the side and began to explain it to him. She started off her explanation very bluntly, as if she was pulling him in halfway into the movie

"She's a spare part"

Steve raised his eyebrows "She's a what?"

Natasha took a moment to actually make sense, placing her hands together and holding them to her mouth. She paused for a moment and then carried on with her explanation "You know, how we thought that Peggy went through what Bucky was going through? The whole torture and brainwashing for seventy years?"

"Yeahh?" Steve mumbled putting his hands on his hips, looking at her with more curiosity in his face.

"Well she didn't, she didn't go through that"

Steve felt even more confused than before now. He shook his head to get across that he had no idea what she was getting at "What? How do you know?"

"Tony got JARVIS to hack into the hydra system, we don't know how he actually managed to do it but he did, on that file of Peggy's it says that she hardly had any work done on her, she had the seed planted to make her forget everything and everyone, like she had the software but in her but they never actually used it, they froze Peggy straight away and carried on just working on Bucky"

"But why?"

Natasha shrugged and took a wild guess "Because she was a women? And in the forties women were seen as a less superior species and if they were going to make another super soldier, they'd rather it be a man?"

Steve looked away from Natasha for a moment. It was starting to make more sense now that she broke it down a bit more, but there was still something in the back of his mind that he couldn't shake

"But then why did they take her?" Steve looked back to Natasha and added "Why did they deny her a life when they were never going to use her?"

"She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, officers from Hydra were at that mission that she took, and from the war they knew who she was, and knew that she wasn't like any ordinary women, and like I said she was a spare part, they kept her in closet for an emergency, like if Bucky-"

"Like if Bucky failed they would bring her out and work on her" Steve finished the sentence. Natasha weakly nodded. She then pulled a small smile and squeezed his arm to buy his attention back "But Steve, this is kind of good news"

"And why would it be?"

"Think about it, Rogers, you almost broke Bucky out of the brainwashing and he had seventy years of it, think of how...easy it could be to snap Peggy out of it? She went through the brainwashing for...couple months? A year tops and then two here?"

Now he got it. He then couldn't deny that this could be seen as good news. Steve nodded but still looked at her with a serious look on his face. It may be good news on some part, but there was still a great deal to be done

"Yeah, I suppose"

"So where do you want to go from here, Cap?" Bruce asked once he knew that Natasha had finished explaining what was the current situation.

Steve looked away from Natasha and back to Bruce

"Now? Now we plant our own seed"

"You mean create a trap to get your girlfriend to 'meet' up with you? Yes?" Tony clarified, not looking away from the computer screen at first.

"She isn't my-...yes, that's generally what I was getting at"

"Well that can be arranged" Tony clarified, he was still looking through Hydra's database "Damn, if only we had this when it was your best buddy, oh it says here that they have gave her a new target" Tony looked over to Steve and raised his eyebrows "I'll give you five bucks to guess who it is"

"It doesn't take a genius to know it's me"

"Well given that you know, you're right it doesn't take a genius" Steve rolled his eyes, now was not the time for jokes in his eyes. But Tony does anything to try and not be so serious. Being serious reminds him of the truly dark times in his life, so he tries to stay numb from it all.

"Are they planning an attack of the tower?" Natasha asked with caution.

Tony snorted a laugh "Are you kidding? They wouldn't dare take that chance over something so useless...no offence Steve, that kind of came out wrong"

Kind of. Well at least that was some sort of an apology. The most he'll get out of him anyway. They didn't know how it would work. How could they plant this seed they were detirmined in planting. Hydra would be planning something. If they had assigned Peggy to take out Steve then that just proves that its all underway.

"It's most likely that she'll bring a team to fight us off whilst she tries to get to you, like what happened with Bucky"

"You think it'll be as chaotic? Natasha we can't risk people's lives again, innocent lives"

"We don't make this choice, Steve, they do and they always will unless we limit their chances, taking them out one by one"

"Well that'll take a lot of damn time" Tony mumbled from behind them as he threw blueberries into his mouth. They still didn't understand this little obsession he had with those.

She rolled her eyes at him and answered back sharply "You get what I mean"

"Look, I get her point here that this will not be all peaches and cream, you think you'll snap your girl out of this and you'll ride of into the sunset with her straight away? You really think they won't do something?" Steve looked to Tony and walked towards him.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it" Steve laid his hands on the desk that Tony was sitting behind, he leaned forward ever so slightly and added "Right now, my concern is getting her away from Hydra and bringing her home"

Tony stared at Steve, after a moment he nodded. He understood. If this was Pepper, Tony knows for a fact that he would go to the ends of the earth for Pepper to be okay again.

Steve pushed himself back up and off the desk and turned to Bruce, Bruce looked up from the computer and stated "They've planted"

"What?"

Bruce scoffed a laugh, not really believing what he had just seen "They planted a tracking device on your motorbike, they must have followed you to that old folks home, planted it and then ran off before you came out, they're currently tracking you so they can follow and attack you when you are alone I guess"

Natasha looked from Bruce to Steve. Then to Bruce. And then back to Steve. It was silent. Steve didn't know whether Hydra could be considered as a genius or very very stupid. Tony then laughed loudly behind them all and stood up as he said "They are so dumb!"

"You underestimate them, Tony" Natasha said with a laugh. Tony then shook his head and clapped his hands on Steve's shoulders "Nooo, they underestimate us, you see we wanted to plant a seed, but they've done it for us, we can trap the suckers"

"How exactly?" Bruce spoke up with him arms crossed.

Then. Natasha clicked. And then. Steve clicked. He looked up from the floor and nodded to what Tony was implying "I'm going to be bait" Steve confirmed.

At first, Natasha and Bruce laughed. But when they saw how serious he looked they instantly took it very seriously "You're going to be what?"

"Bait...Natasha don't look at me like I'm stupid, I am going to get on my motorcycle and be alone, alone so Peggy will follow me and-"

"Attack you"

"Yes but like you said, it could be easier to get her back"

"You almost died last time you went against Bucky, without our help you could end up the same"

"Who said he's going to be alone?" Clint's voice was heard as he stood by the elevator door. Clint smirked and walked over to them. He was in a casual outfit of an open flannel shirt with a white t-shirt underneath and blue jeans. Clint walked over, gave a kiss on the cheek to Natasha and turned to Steve. With his arm around Natasha's waist, he smiled and nodded to the Captain.

"I'll stay in the shadows, make sure it's safe enough for you to try and talk to Miss Carter, Natasha and Sam will stay on stand by in the van...if you are able to break Carter out of the brainwash, then they will meet you and drive you but most importantly Peggy to safety into the building and away from Hydra, from what I have heard, it's most likely that Hydra will drop Peggy and continue looking for Bucky, after all they are who he truly wants Natasha said to me before I left that Peggy is being treated like a spare part, if she has little experience in the field, then she will not be a big loss to them"

It almost seemed too easy to be true. But it was the best plan that anyone had. Steve certainly couldn't think of a better idea. Steve nodded as he firmly shook Clint's hand and thanked him, thanking him for going away to help Steve. Steve wanted to get their own plan underway straight away. It was as if he was only just finding enough energy to breathe. He couldn't rest. He had worse trouble sleeping now than he ever did before. He can't do anything but worry, he can't do anything but think about her. All Steve wanted. All Steve needed, was Peggy.

Back in his room, Steve reopened the box and rooted through the things that he had not seen.

He found a notebook. A small probably a little bit smaller than A5, leather brown covered notebook. Steve slowly picked it up, when he opened it, he noticed that it was a journal and instantly felt guilty in reading it. Peggy was a very private person and would not approve. But. If he could find something that may trigger her becoming her again, then it was essential to read it.

It goes back all the way to Steve's death. The first page was the day after he had died.

**I don't know why I am even writing in this. But, you always said that your journal helped you get your feelings out. Steve. Steve. Steve. I keep kidding myself, if I keep on saying your name. Then you will be here. And that would mean you weren't dead. Why? Why have you been taken from me as well as my brother, my mother and father?**

**I never had gotten the chance to tell you how much I loved you, I wonder if you knew I did? I know you did for me. But we were too late to admit it to each other. We were in love without really being in love together. I am trying to be strong, strong like everyone expects me to be. Or maybe they don't. I have had so many people showing me comfort, prepared for me to weep into their arms. But that would never happen. However, I have not stopped crying since that plane crashed. Every time I have been alone, I can't stop. It's like I can't breathe without you. No doubt they'll be tear stains on these pages. And I know realise I took you for granted. I know that now, I should have soaked up every second I spent with you. Why didn't I do that? Why didn't I tell you how much I loved you? Even when I was speaking to you before you crashed that plane, why didn't I tell you then?**

**I will be asking myself this for the rest of my life.**

**The days will get easier. I know that. But right now it is simply hell on earth. My heart will heal. I know that. But right now it feels as if it is shattered into a million pieces.**

**From this day on I will live by a code. A code that I will love you, Steve Rogers till the day I die and that I will make damn sure that your legacy will live on even after I am gone.**

**Day 1 without my you.**

Steve noticed a tear drop onto the paper, and hardly noticed at first that it was in fact his tears. She wasn't just writing all her memories down to just a diary. She was writing to him. He carried on flicking through the pages. He noticed that Peggy was a drawer as was Steve. There were sketches of Steve, sketches of his shield. Even his hands, eyes and lips. It was like she didn't want to forget what he looks like.

He spotted a brief one from his one year death anniversary.

**A year. Wow. A whole year that you has been gone. Feels as painful as if it were yesterday. I told myself back on day one that it would get easier...but has it? I cannot even say that it has, not wholeheartedly anyway.**

**With the lack of respect I have in this world. It makes me miss you even more. I can barely pick up one man that is as noble and purely good as you.**

**But if I can make it through a year, then perhaps I will be okay...eventually.**

**Day 365 without my you.**

Deep breaths. That's all he could do right now. Flicking through more and more, Steve saw Peggy talk more and more about Angie, Howard, Jarvis and Daniel. He took note of Peggy's secret mission she went on to clear Howards name from selling experiments to Leviathan. Whom he discovered had some sort of connection to hydra.

Steve then found her entry of the day Peggy, Angie and Daniel went to the park, just like Angie had said.

**A day out was just what I needed today. Nothing like a good spot in the sun. Even though I did have to spend the majority of my time seeing Angie and Daniel snogging. Remind me why I set them up together again? Of course, I'm kidding. I'm more than happy to see both my friends so happy with each other. My only wish is that I could also spend this day with someone who I love, very much you.**

**It's a credit to have Angie working in the diner, she stole a perfectly good amount of sandwiches from it. Obviously she will take them out of her wages. Obviously.**

**It is three weeks until I go onto the new field mission with Dugan and the rest of the men. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. **

**Day 1,081 without you.**

When Steve had gotten to her last entry. He noticed that it was on the very last page too, and he found that rather ironic. Her last page on life almost. The entry was a day before she went on the field mission. Her writing was so small that the whole book lasted her three years. Incredible almost. And again, rather ironic. It was like this book was her remaining life span since Steve's death.

**It is 10:30 pm. I can not sleep. I have to be up at 6am for this mission, we ship out at half past. I never like anyone to know that I get nervous before going on these missions. Not even you. Especially you. But I do. Sometimes I feel my hands shaking at night in bed when I am trying to sleep. I have no doubt that this will be the case tonight.**

**I honestly don't know what will happen to me. I never do. It's always a risk, so as I have done before, I am giving Angie my most precious possessions, including this diary. Which, in a way, I am leaving you in her very capable hands.**

**I pray that you will be watching over me, and is protecting me. Please take care of me, my love, I am not ready to join you just yet.**

**So, again, if this is the end.**

**I am still very much in love with you, and that will never end.**

**Goodbye, my darling.**

**Day 1,110 without you**

* * *

**The diary thing has crushed my soul along with my friends souls oops. Please leave reviews below. **


	6. Chapter 6

Peggy was having her training day. Being prepared. She was put into the fighting circle with a muscular structure like Steve's, so she won't be surprised and would know where some weak spots could be for a man at Steve's side. Of course she did not use her weapons on her opponent. After all, this was just training, She would only cause him pain through punching and her other techniques.  
Peggy stood with her right foot forward and her right hand clenched to a fist and held it out as her left, also clenched into a fist was pulled back to her chest.

Her opponent stood facing her with his left leg forward and his hands doing the same to hers but with only the other way around. Many men were stood around "I bet you five bucks on the women" one of the soldiers muttered to the other.

The other soldier smirked and shook his hand "Done"

Peggy licked her bottom lip and stared viciously at her target. Her opponent spat a snarl to get her riled up

"давайте его!"  
[let's have it!]

Peggy smirked and muttered "ваши похороны" [Your funeral]

The man charged to her and swung his first heavy punch that Peggy ducked under, she grabbed his arm and twisted it, making him lean back she heavily kneed him in he back and head butted him and then threw him making him stumble. Again she laughed and said

"Not bad for a women, right?"

Her opponent laughed and said "Not bad at all, but you're still missing the point"

"And that is?"

She was soon welcomed by him launching himself back up and taking a surprised punch to the face, making her spin and almost fall to the floor "A man is still stronger" the rest of the hydra men laughed, but everything that was being said was to make her get more angry and for her to throw harder punches. Peggy ran back over to jump, she leaped in the air and kicked him in the chest with both her feet, making him fall straight on his back, Peggy for him in a lock as she wrapped her legs around his neck and pulled on his arm.

He began to go red. All the hydra men were doing a mix of cheering on Peggy and shouting at her opponent to get up since they had money onto her. He didn't know what to do.

"Go girl on her, William!" one of the Hydra men yelled.

Her opponent, William, did what was suggested and bit her leg. Making her pull a frustrated yelp she let go and rolled backwards to jump back onto her feet. They faced each other again. Right hook, hit. Right then left. Both hits, she then duck at his punches and punched his stomach. Peggy then put her hands on the back of his neck and kneed him several times before stumbling backwards. Breathing heavily. Her laughter soon stopped when she saw William pull a pocket knife from his pocket. She gulped heavily and stared at him like a raging bull.

"Let's see how you'd do with a little pressure, soldier"

Peggy nodded "Fine" she ran at him again. The fight was soon getting more interesting, but it was paused as the doors flew open. It suddenly felt cold even though it was warm outside. Peggy looked to the door as she had one hand gripped at his shirt and the other clenched in a fist ready to punch him. Both breathing heavily they saw six men walk in, and behind the first three. Was the original Winter Soldier himself. He walked in, like he was before. Back into formation. His face was stone cold. He looked tired. Bucky hadn't slept for days, he had a small shaggy beard, his hair had gotten even longer and his metallic arm was covered in dirt. Bucky saw Peggy and was surprised that they actually went ahead with bringing her out from the ice. He had seen her frozen in the lab when he was getting her arm fixed up after his first run in with Steve. Peggy dropped her arms and stepped back from William. She stared at him. He walked over to her and looked to her straight in the eyes "Soldier" he mumbled.

Peggy nodded "Soldier"

Bucky cut right to the chase and snarled "You're no longer needed for this mission, I am being reassigned"

"What?" she snarled.

Bucky shrugged "I'm the right man for the job"

"You've been AWOL for the past two months"

Bucky then said bitterly "I was preparing by myself, but I am back to hit my mark"

Peggy hissed through her teeth and looked away from him. She pushed all the men violently out of her way and back to her cell.

* * *

Bucky was somehow treated as some sort of savior from his return. He had to go through certain procedures but other than that. He was given the all clear. Bucky requested to speak to Peggy or as he called her ' the she soldier' and he was straight away given access to her cell. Peggy was lay on her bed, staring angrily up to her ceiling.

"Разрушенный свой войну?" [Ruined your war?]

"Ты разрушил мою миссию, да" [You ruined my mission, yes]

Peggy looked up and saw Bucky. His face suddenly looked...different. No longer stone cold or unsympathetic, but looked sad. She furrowed her eyebrows "Солдат?" [Soldier?]

Bucky licked his bottom lip, he put his head outside the cell and looked for anyone coming. When he saw the coast was clear, he shut the cell door only slightly so he could get back out which caused Peggy to stand up, feeling as if something bad was going to happen. Bucky looked to the picture of Steve that hung with a dagger at it. He laid his finger on it and said "Do you know who this man is?"

Peggy looked at the picture and nodded "The target"

She was surprised when she heard Bucky shake his head and say "He's more than just that"

Bucky clenched his jaw and sighed, taking his hand from the picture he cleared his throat and said "You know him...we both know him"

Peggy raised her eyebrows and shook her head "He's my mission"

Bucky bit his bottom lip and shook his head and then said in a lower tone "No...he's the love of your life"

Peggy stepped backwards and spat out a disbelieving laugh "фигня" [Bullshit]

Peggy sat back on her bed and went back to polishing her gun. Bucky gulped heavily. Yes, he remembered everything. After he saved Steve, Bucky's curiosity of the truth to his life that Steve had told him was too overwhelming for him to ignore. So he did some digging of his own. He can hardly count how many times he went to that museum. So many times though. That's all he knew. The more Bucky went to the section that was of him the more familiar it all felt. But Bucky then went deeper into the truth. He sat in the video room and watched the interviews. He especially took note of Peggy's and then noticed that she was the women that was frozen whilst he was being trained. He found that there was a section for her too. And he sworn that if she was unfrozen, he would soak up all the facts he could, to free her like Steve freed him.

Bucky lent against the wall and said with his eyebrows raised "What is my name?"

Peggy sighed and looked up, she went to answer. But then she realized that she actually didn't know. She shrugged "Soldier"

Bucky chuckled. She had never heard that before. A laughter. She wouldn't be able to say what it was. But he was smiling, which she knew meant a sign of happiness or amusement.

Bucky laid his hands on his chest and said "My name is James Buchanan Barnes...better known as Bucky"

Peggy looked at him. Confused. And Bucky could tell, she remained quiet.

"I used to be like you, focused on the kill...wanting to practically taste the blood that drips off your blade, it's rush, it's a thrill...except it's not. You just think it is"

"What are you? I have heard the tales from these men, saying how good you were at your job...but all I see is weakness"

"I'm not the man I was when I did those things, I'm back to who I am" Bucky then walked forward and knelt in front of Peggy "You're name is Margaret Carter, you're known as Peggy"

Peggy gulped and shook her head. Bucky practically read her thoughts from the look in her eyes "Hearing that name...you feel some sort of flicker inside of you don't you? I know you do because I had the same when I first heard my name"

"Ты лжец, оставьте меня в покое" [You're a liar, leave me be]

Bucky sighed and sat up, he then grabbed the dagger from Steve's picture and held it under Peggy's chin "Do not breathe a word of this to anyone else I will have no choice but to bring that infamous assassin that I used to be out of me"

Peggy knew that he meant it. Even though Bucky deep down would hardly have it in him to do it. But he was a good actor. Peggy pulled her head back and snarled "So be it"

Bucky dropped the dagger on the floor and left the room.

* * *

When he got outside. He saw Hydra soldiers around the drawing board. Bucky remembers how these things work. As he walked over, the soldiers stepped out of the way to let him pass. Bucky laid his hands on the table and looked at all the screen shot photos of the Avengers building, pictures taken of the Avengers themselves and many of Steve.

"We planned an attack, for tomorrow" one of the men spoke up.

Bucky shook his head and kept his eyes on the table "No, I need time to prepare, I need to scope out the place myself, see the perfect spot to plan a hit on the target"

"Okay...what men do you want to go with her"

Bucky held his hand up and shook his head once more "No men, I take one person with me and one person only...the She Soldier"

* * *

**So this is a filler chapter but YAY Bucky is back and is undercover, what do you think he's gonna do? Leave reviews below :) **


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning. Sam found Steve lying asleep over the work desk that was in the office floor. Sam walked over and took a look at what Steve had been looking on. The diary for starters was open, and then pages of his own. He wrote on sheets of paper the events on what Peggy had logged down, he was trying to pinpoint crucial memories that would trigger her remembrance of who she was. Sam saw the drawings that Steve drew of Peggy. Now, he had never seen an actual picture of her before. And he admitted to himself in his head that she certainly was a beautiful dame. Sam shook Steve's shoulder "Steve, wake up buddy"

Steve groaned and slowly lifted his head "Did? I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, it's like seven am...did you stay up all night?"

Steve rubbed his eyes and nodded, he dropped his arms on the desk and lent back in his chair and looked at the sheets of paper "I don't think I got far though"

"You'll get there, it's just going to take some time"

"I can't take some time" Steve mumbled as he ran the palm of his hands over his face again. He then stress fully pushed the paper away and snarled "I got nothing"

"I'm sure that isn't true, man" Sam patted Steve on the back. Steve shook his head and then picked up the pencil once more "I need to keep looking"

"No what you need is some breakfast" Sam laughed, again patting him on the back and motioning his hand to the kitchen, but Steve didn't move. He felt like he didn't have the time to sit down and relax, he needed her back. And he needed her as soon as possible.

Steve just carried on writing and searching. Sam chuckled and said "You could just use a laptop, then you could save what you write down"

Steve raised an eyebrow to Sam and stated as he looked back down to the paper "I'm old fashioned"

Steve stayed there for hours. Natasha brought him his breakfast. Clint brought him lunch. Steve ate neither. He couldn't.

Even as Clint stared at him when Steve politely denied the sandwich that was made for him, he still had his eyes fixed on the paper. Clint picked up the plate and walked outside to Natasha. Natasha was looking at Steve through the glass door and stated "He's never going to stop, he hasn't stopped since he found out it was Bucky and now this is piling on top of it all as well"

"Nat, he's going to be okay"

But Natasha couldn't help but worry. She was just as protective to Steve as he was to her. He was her best friend and she loved him. She wants him to be happy, but hates to see him be miserable to fight for his happiness. She looked to Clint and smiled softly "You have the same hope_ crap_ that he has"

"He invented hope, it's what he runs on, as long as he has that hope, he will not give up and that is a good thing" Clint gave Natasha a quick kiss and then went away to throw the sandwich out.

* * *

"Okay, what am I needed for?" Peggy made her way to the garage of the Hydra base, she was surprised as to when she looked up she saw Bucky stood in front of a black Buick Regal.

"Что происходит?" [What is going on] Peggy sighed with an unimpressed. Bucky stood up from leaning on the car door and opened it "Залезай" [Get in]

Peggy laughed and shook her head "Не шанс в аду" [Not a chance in hell]

Bucky then snarled as he became more demanding "Если вы не хотите, чтобы протереть в машине для пыток я предлагаю вам в" [Unless you want to be wiped in the torture machine I suggest you get in]

Peggy heard some men talk about that machine. It did sound rather unpleasant. Bucky raised his eyebrows to her and waited for her to get in. Because let's face it. She was going to get in. And she did. Peggy was told that she was needed to go on some sort of task concerning their attempting hit on Rogers. But she didn't think she'd have to go with The Winter Soldier himself.

"Will this take long?"

"Why? Got a date or something?" Bucky smirked as they began to drive down the streets. Peggy looked at him confused "What's that?"

Bucky glanced to her and cleared his throat as he shook his head "Never mind" Clearly he had to work harder in order for inside jokes to catch on.

Soon, things began to feel wrong to Peggy. For starters, Bucky made a turn away from the Avengers tower where Steve was. When she commented on it, he laughed.

"We aren't going near him exactly"

"I thought we were going to scope out the area to look for spots of weakness?"

"Oh right right, I lied"

Peggy raised her eyebrow. Bucky remembers her doing that back in the war. It was both sexy and terrifying. It's when you know she is pissed. He heard the click of a gun come from her bag. Bucky looked at her and snarled "What the hell are you doing with a gun?"

"You think I trust these men? Because I don't, especially not you"

"You can trust me Peggy"

"My name is not Peggy!" Bucky then felt the end of the gun pushed against his temple.

"Alright, alright, I know you think you're not...what do you think you're name is?"

Peggy gulped as she then tried to think. She didn't even know. When she couldn't answer, she just slipped her gun away from his head and remained quiet. That just what he thought. Because that was he was like. He rejected the fact that his name was Bucky but really he didn't know what his name was. It took him so long to accept who he was, one day it just clicked. Everything flooded to his mind. The way he and Steve used to play cowboys and Indians when they were seven outside their house. Steve would always lose though, he could never run fast enough or hide well enough. Bucky tried to let him win and even then he lost. Then when they teenagers they would steal some of Bucky's dads liquor and had swigs of it under their 'hideout' course it was Bucky's idea, his older cousins would always talk about when they used to get drunk when they were fifteen. Steve used to always hesitate and then after one swig felt as if he was going to be sick.

Bucky pulled up outside a building that Peggy had never seen before "What is this?"

Bucky looked at her and stated "Your life"

Peggy looked to the front window and then said "Конец линии" [End of the line]

Bucky looked at her confused "О чем ты говоришь?" [What are you talking about?]

""Гидра не доверять вам, когда вы вернулись, они чувствовали, как будто что-то было не так, они следили нас ... и посмотрите, кто перед нами" [Hydra didn't trust you when you returned, they felt as if something was wrong, they've been tracking us...and look who's in front of us]

Bucky then also looked in front and saw two Hydra agents stood in front of the car. He gulped heavily "дерьмо" [Shit]

His breathing starting getting even more heavy. He wouldn't go back. He couldn't go back. And he refused to get strapped into that damn machine and to be turned back into the killing thing that he was. Bucky turned his head to Peggy and whispered ""Все, что я сказал вам это правда. Убирайся, пока вы можете" [Everything I told you is true. Get out while you can]

Bucky leaped out of the car. As the two Hydra agents tried to tackle him down, Bucky smashed them against their own car. Kicked one in the jaw. Knocking him down and out. The man left standing got out his gun and pointed it to him. Civilians shrieked in fear and hid. Bucky stared the agent dead in the eyes. He didn't even flinch or say anything. But he forgot one thing. Peggy was wired how he once was. As Bucky refused to go back to Hydra to be wiped. Peggy refused to let anyone get in her way to end her mission properly. Peggy slowly got out of the car and crept around. Slowly opening the boot, she grabbed a crowbar that was lying amongst piles of documents. Again, she slowly crept and then whacked Bucky around the head from the back. It was a big enough blow to knock him out.

""Перетащите его обратно, босс будет запустить его снова" [Drag him back, the boss will want to run him over again] she spat.

And then. In the corner of her eye. She saw him. On his motorbike.

* * *

**I'm really sorry if this is crappy I have had serious writers block. But I do hope you enjoyed, please leave a review on what you think Peggy will do. **


	8. Chapter 8

Peggy got into Buckys car and followed Steve as the men from Hydra took

Bucky away. Peggy was focused, really focused. She didn't take her sight of Steve.

"Steve? Steve can you hear me?"

"Yeah, Maria I hear you"

"Steve from your signal we have detected someone with the same serum in their veins as theirs behind you"

Steve gulped heavily and looked at his rear view mirror "Can you detect which car?"

Maria scanned from the scanner that Tony had implanted in the back of Steves motorbike. For protection purposes. It did in fact pick it up "Yes, black Buick Regal, to her left two cars behind"

"Got it"

"Steve, you understand who this is?"

Steve sighed and slowly nodded "I know" he hung up on Maria and then mumbled to himself "You've always got to be surprising haven't you Peggy"

He looked for the car, moving his motobike to the side he pulled back. He pulled back so he could see her. Peggy saw him pull back, she didn't exactly understand what the hell he was doing. Either way she made sure her gun was loaded. Steve pulled backwards and finally became level with her, slowly, Steve turned his head to see her. She. Was. Beautiful. Like he ever had any doubt that she would be. Perfect. As she had always remained in his mind, for him. She would never age to him, nor die. And now that it was a reality, well, it was rather overwhelming. Steve didn't even know what to do.

He just called her name. But. Peggy looked at him with no emotion in her face, nothing. She pulled out her gun and shot at him. Peggy pulled the trigger twice. Hitting him in the right shoulder, twice.

Steve hissed through the pain, causing his motorbike to swivel, he tried to avoid crashing into cars which he did. People began to panic and began to speed up. For Peggy. For now, that was enough. It was...a taster. Of what Hydra had in store for him. Peggy spun the car around, and drove off. Steve crashed into the pavement and laid on the floor. Holding onto his shoulder.

"Maria? Ah shi-Maria?"

"Steve? What's going on?"

"I've been hit" Steve tapped his feet on the floor to try and cope through the stinging pain.

Maria tracked Steve signal. She'd be lying if she say she didn't feel under pressure. She only just got the hang of this new signal device.

"Okay, stay put Steve, I'll be right there"

Peggy got back to the Hydra base.

"Where the hell have you been, soldier?"

Peggy showed the agent her gun "Two shots fired I think you'll find, two bullets have gone into the target's shoulder"

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"It was a taster shot of what was to come, calm down"

"You can't just-"

"Where's the soldier?" Peggy shrugged making it clear that she didn't really care for the disagreements that the Hydra agent had against her actions towards Steve.

"He's about to be...they're doing some tests on him"

"What kind of tests"

"I'm afraid that's classified information, not for any lab rats ears"

Peggy smirked and snarled "Будете ли вы по-прежнему называть меня лабораторную крысу, когда я перерезал горло? [Will you still be calling me a lab rat when I slit your throat?]

"I don't speak russian"

Peggy then mumbled a laugh and commented "хорошо" [Good]

"Just pull them" Steve hissed through the pain to Maria. As skilled and professional Maria was. Pulling bullets out of a mans shoulder? Not her exact speciality. Plus blood made her feel queasy. Natasha walked in and saw Maria's sickened face, she sighed with an amused half smile "Step aside, I'll handle this"

Maria gave a grateful smile and nod and quickly stepped away. Natasha walked over and got the tweezers that were in the metal tray. First bullet, out. No problem. It caught Steve off guard though, made him yelp a little.

"So, you saw her huh?" She saw Steve slowly nod. "I did"

"Still the same?"

" Still beautiful"

Natasha squeezed his non shot shoulder, for comfort. "You're lucky, she easily could have aimed for your chest"

Steve then lightly shook his head, staring into space. Thinking of her and what she did.

"No, she knew what she was doing, she was sending me a message"

Natasha gripped onto the second bullet with the tweezers and said as she began to pull it out "Well, message received"

Again Steve pulled a painful groan as the second bullet was out. Natasha placed it with the first one in the metal tray, Steve then stared at the bullets and muttered "The way she looked at me...as if I was nothing and as if she was enjoying it"

Natasha quietly sighed and looked at him with utter sympathy. She softly rubbed his shoulders "What did you expect Steve? That she was going to see you and jump into your arms?"

"No" he snapped looking at her in the corner of his eye. Steve then realised that he should not have snapped and sighed out as he turned away "No, I'm sorry...it's just, it was just hard y'know?"

"Yeah I do know"

Steve then felt very guilty. Of course she knew. Steve buried his face in the palm of his hands and groaned from being so annoyed. With the situation and with himself. Natasha sat down next to him and nudged him with her shoulder. "It's not really her right now, you know that right?"

Steve nodded and gazed into space again. He then looked to Natasha "She taught me how to shoot y'know? That how I knew she shot where she shot me on purpose"

"_She_ taught _you_?" Natasha didn't mean to sound so surprised it's just, well, Steve was such a good shot.

* * *

_"You can't shoot for shit Rogers!" Hodge howled a laugh as he looked at the badly hit/missed shots that Steve had tried to do well in target practice. Steve had only had his 'new body' for two days. He was still very slippery with this kind of stuff. As Peggy walked behind them, Hodge's bullying caught her attention. Peggy tilted her head and kept her eyes on Steve. She was waiting for him to knock Hodge out or something, since he couldn't before when he was skinny he could sure make up for lost time now. But, nothing. He just stood there and took it. _

_So she took the reins "Do you boys intend on just gossiping about all day or do you actually plan on getting on with your training" Steve and Hodge took a sharp glance at each other. Hodge laughed quietly once more and then walked away, back over to his army buddies. _

_Peggy looked to Steve "Sometimes I think you liked being made fun of" _

_Steve looked at her from what she just said and smirked. She sounded just like Bucky just then. And he felt very lonely right now without his best friend. But having Peggy on his side was a definite bonus. But he just shrugged "They aren't worth picking a fight with"_

_Peggy nodded, rather impressed with him. She then looked at his target board. And he knew that although she wasn't saying it to avoid hurting his feelings, she was certainly thinking it. Hodge was right. _

_"I know, I'm not a good shot"  
_

_"No it's just-well...you could use more training?"_

_Steve laughed and shook his head "A lot more training more like, right?"_

_Peggy bit her lip and nodded, laughing but still with a guilty look on her face. Steve once again shook his head to signal that there was no need for her to feel guilty for being politely honest "My dad used to say 'Son, there is nothing wrong with a boy who can't shoot a gun but there is something wrong with a man who can't shoot a gun'...he was a very mans man" _

_Peggy knew that Steve's parents had died. It was on his file. "No offense to your dad but that saying isn't true, shooting a gun right doesn't make you a man-and I know I didn't know your father but I'm sure he'd be proud of you" _

_"Yeah? How'd you figure that"_

_Peggy shrugged "Because having a son like you would make any parent proud" Steve smiled softly, as she did to him. After a moment Peggy then cleared her throat and looked back to the target board "Do you want me to show you how to aim well?" _

_"Sure?" _

_"Alright" Peggy laid the gun in Steve's hand, she gave him an order as she took a long glance at the target board "Show me how you aim"_

_Steve did as she asked and held the gun up. Peggy could already tell what was wrong with him "You need to straighten your back, and your arms floppy, straighten your arms out, stop thinking about yourself as the skinny man you were-Steve your strength was in your integrity and your determination, and now you have the physical strength added to that, be proud of it. Own it" _

_Steve listened to her guiding words. He inhaled through his nose deeply and took the shot. It hit. Not right in the center but it was a defiant improvement from what his shot was like before. "Very good...look if you want I can give you more training a couple hours everyday? Maybe you'll even get as good as me. Maybe" _

_Steve laughed and looked down to the gun and then back to her "Okay, if you're so confident, show me what you've got" Steve already knew how good of a shot she as. He saw her in action when she shot that driver in the head. Clean shot. But he was thinking that maybe he'd catch her out at least once. _

_Peggy couldn't back down to temptation. She took the gun and then stood beside him and raised the gun. But, before she got chance to take the shot. Steve and Peggy heard the laughs from Hodge and his buddies "He's so bad at shooting he had to reduce himself to get help from a woman" _

_Whilst Steve's face was anger. Anger that Hodge was showing disrespect to a women. And not just any woman, but Peggy. On the other hand, Peggy was smirking. Smirking because she was going to enjoy what she was about to do. "Agent Hodge"_

_Hodge looked up from laughing, still why a sly smile on his face he looked at Peggy. Without even looking at the target board. Peggy raised the gun with just one arm, her left and shot. Five times. She didn't look at the board at first, she slowly dropped her gun as she show the pure shock on the men's faces. She then glanced to the target board. Ah yes, all five shots hit right in the center, all in the same spot which even blasted a whole through the board. _

_"Now, why don't you do the same on your target board? I'm sure if a woman can do it you can"_

* * *

Natasha couldn't help but laugh a _lot _at the story. It also made Steve laugh which was a relief for the both of them. "And did he even do it?"

Steve laughed even loader and shook his head "Are you kidding, he did so bad that he almost cried from the embarrassment, Peggy was extremely satisfied, she obviously knew he couldn't do it"

Natasha wish that she could have known Peggy when she was actually her. Because to her, Peggy sounded like an incredible woman. One who the world is so short on these days. Steve realized how much he missed her. How much he _needed _her back. Steve spent his days missing her but knew he couldn't do anything about it because she was dead to him. But now, that he misses her and knows she's alive. It was killing him not being able to have her by his side. Not being able to talk to her. Train with her. Or even get nervous around her perfection.

"I want to finish this...tomorrow"

* * *

**Please leave reviews below guys, hope you enjoyed. **


	9. Chapter 9

The next day. Steve did exactly that. He prepared himself for this fight he was going to have to win. Steve didn't wear his uniform. That would attract attention. He did, however take his shield. He never goes anywhere without that, and he needs some kind of protection. Natasha walked into the weapons room, where Steve was as that's where he kept his shield. Steve gave a brief smile to her, although you could still tell he is stressed. He then took his eyes back to the files of Peggy, it felt like last minute revision. After all this was a test. He then saw a gun being slid over to him. Without even looking at Natasha, he slid it back. Then she slid it to him again. And then Steve slid it back.

"Don't slide it back again" Steve mumbled, glancing over to Natasha.

"Steve, you're going to need protection"

"I got myself and my shield for that"

"But-"

"I'm not going to hurt her, I refuse to hurt her"

Natasha understood where Steve was coming from, really she did. Steve was used to punching Bucky from when they used to play fight, it was a totally different situation but he was used to it nonetheless. But it was different with Peggy, he had never hit her. Not once. And he would never want to consider it now.

But again, Natasha was still keen to convince him "Steve, Peggy is different now, she has serum, she's powerful and you may need to-you know? If there is no other choice"

"They'll always be another choice than that...always"

Steve took his eyes off her again and looked back down at Peggy's photo.

"Steve, I know that you love her...but is there something else that makes you refuse to lay a hand on her? Or even take a gun for protection?"

Steve didn't exactly understand what Natasha was getting at. But he answered in a way he thought was the best "I promised her that I'd never hurt her, I promised that I'd never leave her. I have broke both once for the same action. I won't do it again"

"What made you promise her that?"

"She lost someone, I was consoling her"

* * *

**_1944\. December 13th. _**

_Steve was walking through the camp with Bucky. It was cold. Snowy, anyone outside must of had a wish for frost bite or something. Hence why the two boys were eager to get into their tent for a hot drink and hot food. Laughing and joking. Steve's attention was caught elsewhere. Peggy was sat outside, on a table bench. She was shivering and looking down at a piece of paper, she seemed upset. _

_"Buck, save me a cup of that coffee"_

_At first, Bucky was confused. But when he saw Agent Carter sat all alone. He then understood. "Yeah, enjoy your hot plate" Bucky teased, giving a light punch on Steve's arm. He left Steve to it. _

_Cautiously he walked over, he then heard Peggy's sobs and grew extremely worried and confused. "Agent-...Peggy?" _

_Peggy looked up and saw Steve stood before her with a small yet worried smile on his face. Peggy wanted to smile back, but she couldn't "Captain you should go in, get warm and be with your friends" _

_"I am with my friend" Steve stated as he sat down beside her. "I don't like this" _

_"Don't like what?" Peggy mumbled as she looked back down to her letter. _

_"Seeing you cry" _

_"Steve..."_

_"I'm sorry, I don't mean to upset you further"_

_"Don't be foolish, of course you haven't upset me" _

_Steve didn't want to ask what was upsetting her. He didn't want to make it seem as if he was being rude or nosey. _

_"You don't have to tell me but, something has clearly upset you?" _

_Peggy sighed and shut her eyes, Steve watched her tears fall down her cold pale cheeks and he felt like crying himself. She had that affect on him. She smiles, he smiles. She laughs, he laughs. And she cries, he cries. _

_Peggy said nothing and just handed him the letter she had gripped in her hands. _

_"Arrived to me just now" she stated as she looked forward with more tears falling down her cheeks. _

_Steve began to read. _

_**Dear Ms Margaret Carter,**_

_**It is my great regret to report that your brother, Jonathan Carter was taking captive behind Nazi lines on the 10th December 1944. With our greatest efforts to retrieve your brother back. We failed. Reports show that Sargent Carter was tortured for information by the enemy lines. **_

_**Sargent Carter was hung by the Nazi enemy and could not be saved. It is my deepest regret to report that Sargent Carter was announced killed in action.**_

_**My greatest condolences for your loss. **_

_**Sincerely**_

_**Coronal Thomas Wright. **_

_"He was only twenty two, married, his wife Sarah had just had a baby...I have no way of contacting her, I have no address" _

_"Peggy, I'm-I'm so sorry" _

_"John was always the one who took care of me, I am two years older than him and yet he was the one who protected me, after mum and dad died in the car crash, he made it his vow...that's the reason he joined the army. To protect me, to protect his wife and then to protect his baby" _

_Steve found himself putting his hand on her back and began to rub it as she spoke to him. _

_"I would get letters from him, once a week...when I didn't get one yesterday which was the day I always get them I did begin to worry...but I never-I never thought that this w-would happen" _

_"Come here" Steve whispered as he held out his arms for her to accept his embrace. And she did. Peggy buried her face in his strong, broad chest and sobbed. Steve reacted as an impulsive instinct. By cradling her head with his right hand and wrapped her left arm around her waist. Pulling her closer towards him. Steve knew what it was like to lose the people he loved. He lost his parents after all. But for Peggy, this made her more lonely than she already felt. _

_"I have no-one now" she cried. _

_"Come on, that's no true...you've got me" he said with a light laugh. _

_Peggy sighed, she appreciated what he was saying. It was nice to have him say that to her, but John said the exact same thing to her after her parents died. And look what happened to him. _

_"It seems everyone I love ends up dead...everyone ends up leaving me" _

_Steve tightened his grip around Peggy's tense body, much to her surprise. She had never been comforted like this before._

_Peggy pulled back after a moment. Steve softly wiped her tears with his thumb. He then said with a soft smile "Hey, I won't leave you, I'll stay" _

_Peggy let out a laugh, she was in a rather cynical mood at the moment. Still with tears streaming down her face, sniffling up again she shook her head "Oh, you can't promise me that, Steve" _

_Steve then shook his head "Well, watch me and regardless whether you want that promise or not Miss Carter, you have it"_

* * *

_"_But_ what _did I do? I broke it"

"Steve, you saved the world"

"I saved it, and then I ended my life-for no other reason than I wanted to play the hero, instead of being the soldier I was trained to be, I didn't think of a way out, I simply the route that was the easiest to defuse the issue"

"Steve if you hadn't have done what you did then, yes you would have lived your days most likely with her and died a war hero and gone down in history...but...you would never have found out about Barnes, you would have died, thinking he was dead, and when I think about it...you're kind of lucky"

Steve scoffed a laugh "Yeah? How'd you figure that?"

"You thought you would have to life out the rest of your life without the people you love...but now you have them here, with you" She had a point. A good one at that. But it didn't stop Steve from feeling guilty. Natasha sighed and scratched her forehead.

"So, what's the plan here?"

"From the tracking device that they put on my motorbike, I'm going to drive a far away from civilians as possible, she'll see it as an opportunity to kill me, so she'll follow, you and Sam wait in the van, you follow me out but you keep a distance so you don't raise any suspicion. Barton will have to stick to the roofs, find a building to take out any Hydra men that will be with her"

Steve looked to Natasha and gave her a nod. Those were his final orders. Natasha then nodded "I'll let Clint know" Natasha walked away to leave the room.

She then stopped and turned her head "Just a little gun?"

"Get out" Steve shook his head with a laugh.

"Okay" and she did.

* * *

Peggy was let out of her cell for supper and then to do some training. She had not seen or heard from Bucky for two days, since he tried to take her to the museum. Since he tried to make her remember. Bucky was now rebooted and wiped to be the soldier he once was. But he was still locked away and was refused to be let out until they knew for sure that he was up to Hydra's standard.

Peggy past the computer room. And heard a bleep. Peggy turned her head and looked into the room. No one was in there, and Peggy had an act for being nosey. She walked into the room and looked at the computer screen. It was the tracking device. Steve was on the move. How brilliant would it be if she came back here, with Captain Americas blood on her hands? That would prove all of these men wrong. But she wanted to do it alone, she didn't want the help of anyone. So, she stole the portable tracking device beside the computer. She then switched off the computer so non of the Hydra officers could follow and ruin her mission..

Sneaking out wasn't as hard as she had guessed either.

Neither was hot wiring one of the cars. Hydra seriously needed to re-evaluate their security. So, Peggy followed him.

* * *

**Hey guys this is basically just a filler and the 'fight' will be in the next chapter. What do you think will happen, let me know below. Hope you enjoyed. **


	10. Chapter 10

"Steve?" Clint spoke over the ear piece.

"Yeah?"

"I can see her, she's coming up fast" Clint explained as he watched from the top of an old scaffolding building in a builders yard.  
"Do you have eyes on Natasha?"

"Negative, they are staying out of sight until either you or I call them in"

"Good, tell me if I lose her, we need to get her into the builders yard"  
The builders yard was deserted. It wasn't clear why but it also didn't matter to any of them. It was the perfect place to settle this.

"Clint?" It was now Natasha's voice that spoke to Barton.

"I'm here"

"How's he looking?"

"He's okay, but nothing has happened yet"

Clint sensed a long, rather dramatic pause from the other end. Natasha gulped heavily and finally spoke "He's going to be so mad at me for saying this but if you have to, take her out"

"Nat, Steve specifically said-"

"I know and a part of me does care, if it gets too much, if she having the upper hand to him, you have to end it"

Clint sighed and scratched his forehead. Natasha had a clear point on what she was saying. And deep down, Steve would agree with her if things do go that far. Steve grew closer and closer to the builders yard, and with Peggy following. She was also moving in.

When Steve got into the buildr yard, he got off his motorbike and turned. She wasn't there. Why wasn't she there? She was just behind him, not even Clint saw her disappear "Visual?" Steve asked looking around the buildings. Clint was good at staying in the dark as requested.

Clint looked. He really looked. Finally he locked on to a figure moving behind Steve, hiding behind scraps of scaffolding.

"Steve, she's behind you, behind the scaffolding on your left"

"Copy that" Steve mumbled. He walked slightly forward and stood still, with his back still to Peggy. He waited until he heard her move for himself. Peggy watched him, she stared at him. When she took a step to the side from the scaffolding, revealing herself more. Steve turned his head. His heart was beating like a racehorse, the mere sight of her in the corner of his eyes was making it difficult to enter this situation. With a heavy gulp, Steve slowly turned around to face her. She didn't seem real to him at first, it was still as if she was a ghost. Peggy was stood in a strong, intimidating stance. A thick blade gripped in her right hand and a gun gripped in the other. Suited up. Hair tied up with strands of hair flopping down. Her face was stone cold, he knew that face. It was the face that told she meant business. She was determined.

There was something about looking at Captain Steve Rogers that felt different to when she looked at him in the pictures. And Peggy couldn't put her finger on it, but it was something that started some sort of flicker inside of her. But, the flicker soon died out. As if her body was rejecting a feeling that she didn't know about. She was confused as to why he, unlike her, wasn't suited up for protection. But again, her body didn't let her think about it. One thing was screwed on into her mind. And that. Was kill.

Peggy took a tighter grip of her dagger and stared at him, if looks could kill. He'd already be dead.

Steve took a deep breath and opened his mouth. He didn't know what to say, the only words that came from his mouth were "Peggy?"

It was just, an impulse. He hardly even gave it a second thought, he still hoped that all he had to do was say her name and everything would be better. But no. Instead of Peggy greeting him with a hug. She greeted him with the throwing of her her dagger that Steve quickly dodged. Peggy ran towards him, launched a punch towards him, Steve took the blow of her fist clashing on his face. He underestimated how powerful she had become from the serum. Sure he always knew she was tough, but now she's just as strong as he is. And like he said before, he refused to hurt her. Peggy grabbed the back of his neck and threw him. Buying herself time to pick up the dagger. When Steve spun back around to face her, Peggy launched her hand to his face again, this time with the dagger in her hand. Peggy took him by such surprise that he only just dodged the dagger, it still managed to scrape his jawline, making him bleed.

It didn't hurt though, not too much anyway. Peggy then pointed her gun towards Steve, he took her hand and pointed it to the ground where the bullets ended up in. But Peggy soon spun her hand up and punched him once again. She placed herself back to back with him, wrapped her arms around his neck and flung him over her body. Flattening him face first on the ground. Now that was harder to pick himself up, especially when she kicked him back down straight in the stomach when he was attempting to pick himself up.

From his building top, Clint mumbled to himself as he watched the two on the ground

"Come on, Steve, don't make me do this" Clint did not raise his bow to Peggy just yet, but he was getting prepared for the worst.

"Peggy" Steve coughed as he tried to stumble up from the ground, to then be punched across the face again. But he still stood and faced her. He then stated "I'm not going to hurt you"

Peggy stared at him, fists clenched. Ready to fight.

But Steve shook his head and breathed out "Not again"

Peggy looking into his lost, blue eyes. And felt...nothing. No pity. And certainly no mercy. Quick as a flash, she raised her gun and shot at him. To the left side of his body. Now that hurt. Steve hissed from the pain and stumbled backwards. As he was off guard, Peggy ran. Jumped. And kicked Steve in the chest.

Steve couldn't take these punches. That will get him nowhere, even though he still stands by not hitting her. He decided it was right to block her attacks. And whilst he did this, he was going to do the one thing that Peggy finds hard to ignore. Talk.

"Your name, is Peggy Carter"

*Dodge*

"You're an agent for the SSR"

*Block*

Steve then decided to get more personal.

"Your favourite song is The Way You Look Tonight"

*Hit*

"You hate the smell of petrol. It makes you feel nauseous"

*Hit*

The more Peggy heard. The more upset he felt, and then she was angry because she didn't understand why she was upset in the first place.

Peggy swung her fists to Steve, but to her surprise. Steve grabbed her wrists. He pulled her close to him. Faces merely inches away. Steve then stated "And I love you"

The flame that flickered inside Peggy previous hit a spark again. She didn't understand. How could he make her feel this way? Make her doubt her mission when usually she was so determined. It scared her. With those feelings piling up, Peggy did her absolute best to ignore it all. She pushed him off her again. Steve ran and grabbed his shield, as he turned. Peggy shot at him four times. There was something about that moment that ran a sense of familiarity to Peggy.

Something about shooting at him, the number. Four. And the way he held his shield up. Something in her gut was making her feel familiarity.

And by her the look on her face, Steve felt a glimmer of hope that something was happening to her, something good to get her back to the way that she was "Peggy?"

"Stop calling me that!" Peggy screamed running back over to him, Peggy grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off his feet. Her strength was astounding. She threw him on the ground. Smashed him on the ground more like, she pressed her hand down on his neck still. She then crouched over his body. And held a blade to his throat.

"Shit" Clint whispered to himself, unaware that what he just said was heard by Natasha.

"What? Clint! What?"

Clint sighed as he knew what Natasha would say to him "She's got him locked down, Nat she's beating the shit out of him because he refuses to fight"

"Then you know what you have to do"

Once again he sighed, he knew she was right but a part of him wanted to see if Steve could recover, to get her back. He waited, he gave him forty seconds. Else he'd shoot. And he was getting prepared.

Holding the blade to her throat, she was looking at him with a sense of rage in her eyes. Peggy then grew surprised when she saw Steve place his head on the ground. As if to admit defeat. But Steve was accepting. He was accepting his new turn of fate, he was accepting that Peggy was never going to be who she was, he accepted that he was nothing more than what he was to Bucky. A mission. A target. Natasha was right, the woman he lost was truly dead, she's gone. This isn't Peggy. And it was okay. Deep down nothing has changed with this fate, he was still going to die loving her. His biggest regret was not saving her, not saving Bucky.

Giving up. Steve whispered "It's okay, I understand" he gulped heavily and stared into her eyes, and then he added "I'm just sorry I was late"

Peggy furrowed her eyebrows, now more confused than ever. And that flame no longer flickered, it was a roaring open fire.

Steve closed his eyes and waited. Clint raised his bow and aimed it to Peggy. Fifteen seconds.

All of a sudden, Peggy got a sharp pain run through her mind. When Clint show Peggy back down the dagger, he then backed down his bow. She slammed her eyes shut from the pain. Looked down to the ground. Things flashed through her brain.

"I just don't why why'd you wanna join the army if you were a beautiful dame"

"If it could work only once he'd be proud it was you"

"Peggy, this is my choice"

"Y'know I still don't know how to dance"

"I'll show you how, just be there"

"I owe you one pal"

"Miss Carter"

"Agent Carter"

"Peggy, don't run"

"Everything alright, English?"

When the voices. The memories. Stopped. Peggy slowly opened her eyes, she blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. Peggy felt like crying, she didn't know why.

She didn't understand where she was. It took a moment or two for her to see that there was a body beneath her. Peggy stared at the hand beside her, her breath hitched. She knew that hand. But it couldn't be. It was impossible. Slowly she turned, her heart began to beat so fast when she saw Steve, eyes closed. Was she hallucinating? Tears began to stream down her face, Peggy moved her hands and lightly touched his face. Making Steve slowly open his eyes. Was he dead? Was this heaven? But no, if it was heaven then his body wouldn't feel so damn sore from the beating and the bullets.

Peggy gulped heavily and spoke, still feeling as if this was all a dream.

"Steve?"

* * *

**Yay she remembers! I really hoped I got this good enough, I was stressing about this chapter big time. Please leave reviews :) **


	11. Chapter 11

Peggy slid her hands down to his chest. Steve stared at her, her eyes were no longer raging or angry. But gentle, confused and lost. Steve lifted himself up, resting on his elbows and raised his eyebrows "Peggy?"

"Are you real? Is it really you?" Peggy cried, cupping his face again. Steve nodded and smiled "Yeah it's me"

Peggy then smiled, with deep relief she sighed out "Steve...y-you're alive, you-you came back" Steve took her hand and laid a soft kiss on it. He longed so much for her touch. In a loving way this time. Steve softly nodded along with a warm smile "Yeah, Peggy" he whispered. Peggy tried to control her tears, but she felt so overwhelmed. It felt so surreal. Steve saw Peggy begin to sob, he pulled her in close to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Peggy buried her face in his neck. Both of them had their eyes shut. Wanting to take in every single moment. He then heard in a muffled sob "It's been so long"

Steve opened his eyes and looked up to the sky, as his own tears ran down his cheeks.

"So long"

Steve smiled and stated "Well, I couldn't leave my best girl could I? No when she owes me a dance"

Peggy smiled as she pulled back to look at his face once again. She couldn't take his eyes off of him for more than a second, it was as if she was scared to. She scanned him, the more she looked at him, the more clear it became to her how damaged he looked, the cuts on his right cheekbone, left jawline and lip. She noticed the blood wound on the left side of his body. Peggy looked at her own hands and saw the blood on her knuckles.

"Did I do this to you?"

Steve shook his head, he made her look at him by lifting her head with his finger under her chin.

"Don't worry about that right now, okay?"

Steve once again slid his right hand on her cheek, she sighed and closed her eyes with tears still falling, she rested her head on his hand for a moment and then looked back at him. And asked with so much worry in her voice "What happened to me?"

Again, Steve shook his head. He didn't want to worry Peggy, he would tell her everything. Just not right now, it was clear that she doesn't remember anything.

"Nothing, you just...you just went away for a while"

Peggy couldn't help but smirk and spoke with a little laugh "You're one to talk"

Steve chuckled and hugged her once more. Peggy was still confused among her happiness.

She stood up, held out her hand out for Steve and lifted him up. It shocked her as to how easy it was to lift him, Peggy rubbed her forehead and mumbled "What's happened to me?"

Again, Steve didn't want to worry her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. And he would tell her, when they got to the Avengers tower. She will already be freaked out by her surroundings once she gets into the city, seeing the buildings, the cars. Even the high street stores. Peggy took a look of her surroundings now "Why are we here? Where are we? Steve what's-"

Steve placed his hands on her arms to catch her attention "Listen, don't panic okay? I am going to take you somewhere safe and explain everything I promise"

He saw the hesitation in Peggy's expression "Peggy, do you trust me?"

"With my life"

"Then take my hand, and let me take you somewhere safe"

Peggy took a deep breath and nodded as she slid her hand in his. Steve looked up again to the building where he was presuming Clint was hiding in.

"Clint, stand down, it's okay"

Clint smiled and nodded "Yeah, Cap, I can see that...congratulations"

Steve smirked and then also nodded to Clint, whether he was nodding to the right place he didn't know. Steve turned his head to see Peggy confused on who the hell he was talking to, Steve turned his head to show the earpiece in his right ear.

"It let me speaks to my team"

"Your team? Steve how long have you been...alive?"

Steve gulped heavily and shrugged "It's complicated, come on" they started walking, as they did. Steve contacted Natasha to bring the van round so they could get home. Clint would drive Steve's motorbike home for him, as for the car that Peggy stole from Hydra, that was left behind. In case it was bugged in anyway for Hydra to use as an advantage.

The van was in sight and getting closer. Steve looked to Peggy as they carried on walking hand in hand "The people in this car are my friends, we can trust them okay?"

Still with a sense of fear in the eyes from the shock of everyone that was happening, Peggy slowly nodded "okay"

Natasha stopped the van, having the back of it facing Steve and Peggy. Steve opened the backdoors and held his arm out to Peggy to get her in first.

"I'll be right back" Steve said with a smile. He made his way round to the front to see Sam and Natasha.

"How she doing?" Natasha asked with a genuine concerned look on her face, she was how worried Peggy looked when they were walking towards the van.

"She seemed doin pretty well to me" Sam mumbled with a smirk.

Steve raised his eyebrows to Sam and laughed "Really?"

"Sorry man"

"No but seriously, is she alright?"

Steve smiled and then shrugged "She's confused, emotional but deep down I think she's happy"

Natasha nodded "Of course she's happy, A she's alive and B so are you"

"She doesn't remember a thing either, the last thing she probably remembers is being with her friends"

"She's going to want answers"

"I know, and I'll give them to her" Steve then hissed quietly from the pain he received from the left side of his body that contained the bullet Peggy had put in him "Everything alight Rogers?"

Steve gave a nod, with his face still scrunched up from dealing with the pain he had been holding in for a while now.

"Yeah it's just, well you're going to have to pull another bullet out of me when we get back"

"Jesus, where?" Natasha whined as she scanned Steve, he moved away his hand to show the tear in his shirt and jacket. He raised his eyebrows "And I didn't want to say anything in front of Peggy to make her feel bad but" Steve leaned in slightly and mumbled "It hurts like hell"

Steve made his way back round and into the van. Peggy and Steve sat facing each other. Even by Peggy just looking at his clothes, dark blue jeans. They definitely weren't popular in their time and by the look of them, they looked more...modern. As modern as jeans were. Then his white t-shirt. That was nothing out of the ordinary, but his navy blue jacket. The fabric and style of it all was something you wouldn't see in Peggy's day. And his shoes, well they were nike trainers for a start. A type of shoe that Peggy had never even seen. His hair was different. To her, he looked so futuristic.

"I know you said you'd tell me when you get me somewhere safe, but can you just tell me the basic facts of what is going on. To just put my mind at rest for at least a little while"

Steve rubbed his lips together and looked at her face. She was desperate, and she was racking her brains out from being so confused. When Steve first woke up, he also wanted to know what was going on. And Fury told him the basics straight away. Steve slowly nodded and took hold of Peggy's hands. He didn't care about the blood as he stroke the back of her hands with his thumb as he looked into her eyes.

"You and I, we aren't in the forties anymore"

Peggy furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head. Now she was even more confused when she heard him say it "What? Then where are we?"

"We" he sighed, paused for a moment and then continued "We are in the year 2014"

"2014? That's like-"

"Seventy years ahead of our time, I know, you and I have been asleep for around seventy years, I 'woke' up around two years ago"

Peggy lent her back against the wall, sliding her hands out of his in the process. She took a deep breath and held her hand up, with her eyes shut "Okay, that will do me for now"

"You sure?" He said with a chuckle.

Peggy nodded, with her hand now on her forehead she mumbled "Something tells me I'm going to need some element of alcohol to let the rest sink in"

Steve chuckled again and rubbed her leg "All you really need to know now is that you're okay"

"Of course I am" Peggy dropped her hand and opened her eyes to Steve "I was always okay when you were around, so of course I'm okay"

Steve smiled softly "I feel the same"

Peggy smiled.

* * *

"Sir! Something has happened" HYDRA weren't even aware that Peggy had been gone. They thought she was still in her cell. That is until one of the soldiers saw what she had done.

One of the leaders, Krazer came over to the excited soldier. But he learnt that excited was not in a happy way. "What is it?"

"It's the soldier"

"What of him?"

The soldier shook his head and stated "The woman"

Krazer tilted his head and mumbled "What did she do now?"

"I'm afraid we've lost her sir"

"What the hell are you talking about" the soldier held up a device and stated "I mean, we've lost her, look, the 'brainwash' is no longer in her system, it's most likely she is with Rogers"

Krazer cursed under his breath "How the hell could this happen" the soldier explained that the tracking databases were disconnected. From his theory, they came to the conclusion of exactly what happened. She tried to take matters into her own hands but instead, Steve got to her.

"What should we do? Go after her"

"No, she was no used to us anyway, now that we have him back. We were just about done with her...activate it"

"You mean?"

"Yes, like I said soldier. She is no longer of use to us. But that doesn't mean Rogers gets to have his girl"

* * *

And then. Steve saw Peggy's smile slowly fade. Something instantly felt wrong. Steve looked at her, confused "Peggy?"

Peggy began to tremble, her eyes slammed shut for a moment. Her face scrunched up, she suddenly looked like she was in pain. And then out of nowhere, she screamed. A painful, heart wrenching scream. Steve didn't know what to do. It happened so quickly that he was in shock for a split second.

"Peggy! Peggy!" Steve put his hand on her left cheek to try and get her to look at him, but her eyes were still shut. Her head was looking to the ground. Her breathing became heavier and heavier. Peggy took a grip of his hand, she squeezed it tight from the unbearable pain she was getting. From her strength from the serum, she was hurting his hand. But he didn't care right now, in fact he hardly even felt it.

"Steve, what's going on?!" Sam called in from the front.

"I don't know! But something is wrong!"

Peggy eyes opened, she looked into Steve's eyes. She looked so drained. So weak.

"S-Steve" she cried in a whisper. Suddenly she collapsed to the floor. Out cold. Steve crouched over her and cupped her face, he lightly shook her over and over again. But she wasn't waking up. She became boiling hot. Steve reacted by taking off her jacket. He took off all of the armor she wore, the bullet proof vest underneath. Down to her simply being in her black vest top. For the split second he put his hand on her left hip, he felt that it was particularly scorching hot. More than any other part of her body. Steve lifted her top to reveal only her hip. What he saw, frightened him. Her hip looked as if it were infected, it had a sort of luminous purple branches, and it looked to be spreading.

It was something Steve had never seen before. And that meant that it made no sense to him.

"Peggy! Peggy please" Steve pressed his forehead against hers and whispered "I just got you back, please" he lifted his head and yelled to the front "Natasha! Get us to a hospital now!"

"What's happening?" she called back, turning her new route to the hospital.

"That's just it" Steve said as he looked back to Peggy. He then added "I have no idea"

* * *

**Well, that reunion quickly went wrong. What do you guys think is wrong with Peggy? Please leave reviews.**


	12. Chapter 12

Natasha broke so many speeding laws it was rather spectacular how they didn't crash into anyone. She was very talented when it came to not dying. Steve spent the whole time it took to the hospital by holding Peggy, sitting her sidewards on his lap and cradling her. She hadn't woken up yet. But her hip looked no different and she was boiling hot still.

Steve was trying his best to stay calm. But not knowing what was going on was getting him even more worked up. Steve looked at her face, she looked so peaceful. But so weak.

"I promise that we will fix this, I'm going to take care of you" he spoke with such emotion in his voice. And laid a kiss on her forehead.

The van stopped. The back doors flung open. Sam held his arms out as Steve passed Peggy over as he got out of the van himself. Steve and Natasha practically sprinted into the hospital. Sam, jogging behind them looked down to Peggy in his arms "I don't know you yet, but I know that he loves you, so you've got to hang in there, okay? We got you"

He didn't know if Peggy could hear her. But he hoped that in some way, she could.

"We need help right now!" Steve yelled running into the hospital.

"Sir I'm sorry but you have to calm-"

"Don't tell me to calm down! My...a very important person is in a critical condition and you need to do something!" Steve stressed as he slammed his hand on the desk. Causing a hole in it.

"Captain Rogers?" Both Steve and Natasha turned their heads to a doctor they both knew. The doctor who helped Fury and Steve himself. He worked in the shield base hospital. And also in this one, as it seems. Natasha would have drove them there but, hearing the way Steve was yelling she presumed there may not be enough time for that.

"Doctor Jameson, please"

"Who needs help?"

Steve and Natasha stepped aside to show Peggy in Sam's arms. Doctor Jameson stepped forward, he laid the back of his hand on her forehead "Jesus she's boiling, what exactly happened?"

"We were in the back of the van, talking and then she just collapsed but look" Steve lifted her shirt again to show her hip. To his surprise as well, it had gotten worse.

Doctor Jameson's eyebrows raised his eyes widened and then called for doctors to rush her into surgery. He seemed to know what was happening.

As he went to rush with the doctors, Steve grabbed his arm "Please, tell me what is wrong with her"

"Well, I don't know for sure but it looked like she has been poisoned, I've seen it before, from a victim of HYDRA"

"Hydra? That's who she was...held captive by"

"They've done this before, they put some sort of chip that contains poison, it gives her doses every so often say thirty minutes? Before she dies"

"How many doses does it take?" Natasha questioned as she could Steve what all of this was doing to Steve. Jameson shrugged and stated "We lost our previous victim, it was said that it took four doses"

"Only four! How many do you think she's had?!" Steve panicked. Again he shrugged and took an accurate guess "Two, maybe three-look I'm sorry I cannot give you anything too accurate, but me and my team will do the best we can to remove the chip, the thing is, the doses will keep on coming whilst the surgery is underway"

"What does that mean?"

"Pray for her Steve" Jameson patted Steve on the shoulder and then walked away to attend to Peggy. Steve took a deep breath and did what the doctor suggested. He took a seat and silently prayed. Sam and Natasha took a seat side by side him.

"She's going to be alright" Natasha nodded, Steve didn't reply. So she added "With the serum in her body that must make her more protected from it, right?"

"Not unless they gave her a more lethal poison because of her serum" Steve stated as he sat up straight and crossed his arms. Natasha took hold of Steve's hand and made him look at her "From what you have told me, that woman in there is so freaking strong, that this will not beat her"

Natasha phone suddenly began to rang. It was Clint. She glanced to Steve and gave his hand a squeeze "I'll be right back" Natasha then looked to Sam and gave him a look to say 'Keep him calm' Sam nodded and began to talk to Steve. Giving him moral support, which is just what he needed right now. Natasha walked away over to the coffee machine and picked up the phone

"Hi"

"Hey, where are you guys? I tried to follow you but you went all fast and furious and disappeared"

Natasha scratched her forehead and shook her head "Yeah, somethings happened"

"What? Are you okay?"

"No I'm fine, it's Peggy, it seems hydra has given Peggy a parting gift, they've activated some sort of lethal poison inside her, it's complicated but there's a race against time for her and she's running out"

"God...how's Steve taking it"

"Like you'd expect" Natasha sighed.

"Nat, I know that tone and don't worry, there's nothing can do"

He had a point. Obviously, but this sort of thing goes through everyone's mind when things such as this happens. As she put her money in the coffee machine she made a request to Clint

"Babe could you please come round here? I kinda need you with me right now"

Clint knew she'd get like this. Whenever things like this happened, it scared Natasha in a way. In a way to make her need Clint by her side, as if she was scared something could happen to him whilst they are apart. "Of course I will, I won't be long, which hospital are you at?"

"Queens on 164th street"

"I'll be there in a flash"

Natasha hung up and looked over to Steve. Sam patted Steve on the back and stood up, he walked over to Natasha and sighed "He said he just wants some alone time"

"He's doing it again"

"What?"

Natasha looked over to Steve and stated as she handed over a cup of coffee to Sam

"He's re-living the past, it's like his way to put his walls up, protect himself"

And that was exactly what he did. He put his mindset into reliving the past. In order to make himself numb on what was currently happening, at the possibility that she wasn't going to make it.

When Steve saw that Peggy had been shot by the Hydra spy when she followed Steve after he pushed her out the way and ran, trying to be the hero straight after the serum worked. Steve carried Peggy all the way back to the SSR base and straight to the doctor. Well, now she had a second bullet in her shoulder to match her first. After her wound was cleaned and given the all clear, Peggy got back into her uniform shirt and then went to see Steve get patched up.

She stood facing him, arms crossed with his medical files in her grasp. Steve glanced to her as the doctor dressed and began to stitch up his wound on his ribs. Although she was glad he was okay, she was still deep down rather angry at him.

"You should never have ran after that madman the way you did" She stated in a harsh tone. Steve sighed and shyly looked back to Peggy, he shrugged.

"I was only trying to help, he killed Abraham, what was I supposed to do? Just stay here and do nothing?" Peggy gave a brief amused exhale and nodded "Well, yes actually and if you hadn't have...jumped on me then he would have been good and dead with my shot"

"I am sorry"

Peggy felt as if she couldn't stay mad at Steve, she wasn't sure what it was about him. He looks up at her with that innocent, fragile looking face like-like she has his full and undeniable trust. And she couldn't stay mad at him. Especially how she knows that when he was apologising, he was being 100% genuine. Peggy's eyes travelled and began to scan his body. Up and down. It was certainly something to get used to from looking at his usual physical appearance which was skin and bones. When noticing that she had been staring at him far too long, she quickly looked away and down to his medical files.

"Steve, it isn't you just messing up my shots, it's also the fact that you've only had your body like this for barely an hour, probably not even that and there are still procedures to be taken. Howard Stark has been pecking at my head non stop about running tests on you"

"Tests?" The worry in Steve's voice made her look up to him, his face looked just as worried. She then spoke in an attempt to keep him calm "Yes, just to make sure that everything Dr Erskine said the serum would do is doing, nothing to worry about, I can assure you that" She looked back down to his file and looked at the picture of Steve, back to when he was skinny.

"To be honest I rather prefer you when you were skinny" Peggy mumbled with a laugh, she looked up to see the surprised look on Steve's face and then added on "That way you would not be putting yourself in danger at every chance you get" she said with a minor joke in her sentence. Steve chuckled, which actually hurt.

He then dipped his head to the side for a second and stated "Well you're probably the one of two people to say and think that"

Peggy raised her eyebrows and smiled "Yeah? And the second would be?"

"My best friend, James-well most people call him Bucky, he's in the one o' seventh"

"Oh I see! Have you heard from him?"

"Not since the letter I got a couple of weeks back"

"Well I'm sure you'll see him soon enough" Peggy smiled with a little nod in attempts to lift his spirits.

Steve smiled at her words "I hope so"

"You will, after all you've always wanted to be a soldier, and you are now...I just hope you don't turn out like all the rest"

Steve nodded and smiled, looking down at his hands he said "I'll do my absolute best"

Peggy was then the one to nod and smile, they both looked away from each other but couldn't stop the smiling until they got down to the serious talk about what the Hydra spy did. Even from that moment, they had a feeling deep down inside of them, that they were going to play a huge part in each others lives.

Neither expected how much.

Steve rubbed his hands together till they began to burn. He suddenly saw a delicate hand be placed over his to stop him from rubbing his hands completely off. Steve looked up to see Natasha with a cup of coffee in her other hand "Three sugars, black. Just the way you like it"

"Thank you" Steve spoke in a whisper as he took the coffee off of her.

"She'll wake up Steve"

Steve gulped heavily and stared down at the coffee, he didn't even reply in a way to connect to what Natasha had just said "You know, from the moment I saw her, it wasn't love at first sight-at least I don't think but who knows, but it was definitely a moment where I said to myself 'this woman is stunning. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen' and then I also thought 'Dear God help me, I'm going to be a nervous wreck around this woman for all my army days" he chuckled making Natasha do the same.

"And then the serum came"

"No, I was still nervous around her"

Steve took another sip of his coffee. And looked down the hallway to where Peggy was there, in one of those rooms. Being operated on as he just sat here and waited.

Soon enough Clint showed up. Natasha ran into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. "I'm here" he whispered to her, like before, he knew that she needed him near by at times like this. Natasha smiled and then whispered back "Thank you" he kissed her on the forehead once more and then turned to Steve, patting him on the back. Steve hadn't moved from the chair. Not a single muscle "How you doing, buddy?"

"I've gone through my fifth cup of coffee in under two hours, it's going as well as can be expected of me" Steve spoke and then with a grateful nod as a show of appreciation to Clint's concern. Clint sat down with Natasha, in a tight embrace. Natasha rested her head on his shoulder and stated "He loves her so much, it's killing me to see him go through this"

"I know, but at least he isn't going through this alone, right?"

"Right"

Another hour past. Nat had fallen asleep on Clint. Clint was resting his head on Nat's and getting lost in his own thoughts whilst Sam sat next to Steve. Steve still didn't speak, not really anyway. A few exchanges, that's all. That was, until Doctor Jameson came out of the operating room. With spots of blood on his surgery apron.

"Mr Rogers" Steve shot up, the first time he's moved in three hours. Clint, seeing this, lightly nudged Natasha to wake her up. She did, and they then both stood up along with Sam.

Steve walked up to Doctor Jameson and saw the look on his face. He gulped heavily and shook his head.

"Please… please don't"

* * *

**Please leave reviews below :) **


	13. Chapter 13

Steve was back in his seat. It had now been half an hour since Steve had spoken to the doctor. He stared down at his compass.

"So, she's going to be okay huh?"

Steve nodded and cleared his throat "Yeah she is"

"That doctor really scared you huh?" Sam laughed.

Steve smirked and nodded again "Yeah, I don't know I just-for a second my hope just went away, I was so used to disappointment...heartache"

"Well you got one soldier, one more to go right?"

Steve liked the way Sam was thinking. He was being more positive than he usually was.

"When are you allowed to see her?" Sam added. Steve looked back down to the hallway to where Peggy was. With his eyes still fixed on the hallway he said "She's out of surgery, so it should be anytime now, but the doctor says that she is asleep from the medication, she'll be asleep from it all for a couple of hours"

Natasha then spoke up, stood next to Clint by the coffee machine again "It might be good to go in with her, they say that patients can hear you if you talk to them, go in there, talk"

"About what?"

"Your memories together, that woman you met in the old people's home, you could talk about what happened on last weeks Arrow for all I and she cares, just go-you've spent two years of your life wanting to be with her, and now you can, so get up and go"

All four men were surprised by her words. Steve smiled and stood. He gave Nat a grateful nod and began to walk down to hallway. Clint looked to Natasha and stated "Since when were you so much of a...sap?"

"Look, Rogers has been making me realise that anything is possible, so even me giving major hope speeches aren't even that surprising anymore" She laughed with a shrug. And it was true, Steve was always surprising her, sure she has had a shitty life. But Steve hasn't exactly had a lovely life either, in fact. Steve had recently been showing signs of depression. And everyone was getting worried, but now it seems that things can be looking up for him.

Steve slowly walked in the room. He requested that Peggy had her own, private room. She looked so fragile yet peaceful. This wasn't exactly the situation Steve had pictured when thinking about watching Peggy sleep. Usually it would be after something a little more intimate. He grabbed the arm chair next to her bed and brought it closer and sat beside her. Steve took her hands and stared at them. His hands made hers look so small. He licked his bottom lip as he looked to her "Hi...I don't know if you can hear me but I'm going to talk anyway, after all I can talk to you no matter what state either of us are in" he laughed.

Whilst that was true, he wasn't quite used to not getting a reply.

"You must be hating this, I know what you're thinking, it's too quiet in here. You always like music. Remember how you always used to put music on in the base whilst people were trying to get some work done, and Phillips would get mad" Steve laughed again and slowly shook his head "But you didn't take any notice"

"You also remember when you shot at me? I tried to justify myself but you wouldn't have any of it. That's when I got the feeling that I was not to look at any other woman, we were together without really being together in a way"

* * *

_Steve walked Peggy as she walked away. Not really understanding what just happened. Howard all of a sudden laughed from their shocked silence, Steve jumped and looked to Howard "What?"_

_Howard gave Steve a manly slap on the back and looked back down at his prototype shields "What did you do to piss her off, pal?"_

_"I? How do you know she's-"_

_"I've seen Peg angry more times than I care to count, you must have done something to tick her off"_

_Steve sighed and rubbed his eyelids and then shrugged as he looked back to Howard "I accused you and her of...y'know"_

_"Fonduing?" Howard snorted a laugh._

_Steve rolled his eyes and nodded "Sure, she also caught me being kissed by Private Lorraine but-"_

_"Ah ha!" Howard spun around and pointed to Steve, again making him jump. Howard held his arms out and said "First...private Lorraine, nice job. Second, Peggy is jealous"_

_"Jealous?"_

_Howard raised his eyebrows "Yeah, that she wasn't the one kissing you-to be honest, bud, I envy you right now, I've been trying for years to win Carter round, she's a hell of a lady, but if I was you? I'd go after her, right now"_

_Steve felt as if it was a lot to take in right now. Peggy, jealous? Of him and Lorraine? Steve found it unbelievable. But he took Howard's advice and ran after her. Howard watched him do so and then mumbled to himself "Sure, give the skinny guy some big pecks and abs and you've got yourself a husband"_

_Steve caught up to Peggy pretty fast, and she knew it was him that was behind her. But still she carried on walking._

_"Agent Carter! Agent! Wait"_

_Peggy sighed and eventually stopped She slowly turned around, she looked at him with her piercing eyes, they weren't exactly as soft and welcoming as they usually were. With her hands still on her hips she stood still "What is it, Captain?"_

_Steve motioned to the room they both just walked out of and said "Care to explain?"_

_"I was simply testing your shield"_

_"Come on, Peggy" Steve sighed looking away from her for a moment. Peggy raised her eyebrows "What do you want me to say? Better yet...what do you think I was doing?"_

_"You were jealous?"_

_Peggy's eyebrows raised even higher, her eyes widened. She huffed out a small laugh "You cannot be serious" Steve shrugged, he wasn't intending on mentioning Howard. Although he fancies the pants off her, Howard also seems to be scared of her._

_"You kind of acted like that after you saw-"_

_"Yes, I know what I saw but that was not the reason"_

_"Then what was?"_

_"The one I gave you" Peggy rolled her eyes and went to walk away. She soon felt her hand be grabbed by his. It was like an impulse. Steve didn't even think about it properly, he just did it. She turned and looked at him with slight shock "Know your principles"_

_"You're allowed to get upset but I'm not?"_

_"I don't hold your hand"_

_"But you do shoot at me" Steve looked deep into her eyes and gulped heavily. Peggy shook her head "Don't"_

_"What?"_

_"You're making it very hard to be mad at you when you look at me like that"_

_She said with a tiny smirk. Making Steve do the same. He then looked at her serious again "Did I mislead you?"_

_"Did you...what are you talking about?"_

_Steve sighed and shrugged "The night that we walked home after we were celebrating the one o' seventh's return, and we got...close"_

_"You mean me kissing you on the cheek?"_

_Steve nodded. He was new at this. He had never had a woman jealous about him before. He was usually jealous. Like he was before between thinking that something was going on with Peggy and Howard. Peggy murmured a small laugh "Steve, you haven't misled me in anyway, I gave you that kiss as a way of thanking you, it's what us women do, especially with a couple of Brandy's in me"_

_Peggy sighed and shook her head, she then spoke in a softer tone "I'm sorry if I have upset you"_

_"I'm sorry if I upset you"_

_Peggy wasn't going to say that he hadn't upset her. But she was upset. But it was her own personal upset. Steve was allowed to do whatever he wanted to do. He wasn't hers. She felt herself getting more upset, she pulled her hand away gently and straightened his tie "I'll see you at the meeting later on, don't be late"_

* * *

Steve looked at her from reliving his small flashback and stated "I'm still sorry for that by the way" Steve looked down to his phone and glanced back to her "I've got your favourite"

Steve played The Way You Look Tonight on his phone and placed it on the table beside her bed. He stroked her hand and spoke in a soft whisper "You need to hurry and wake up, because that dance is long over due, and I still need you to teach me, okay? So come back to be real soon" he kissed the back of her hand.

* * *

**Kind of a filler for now, hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave reviews :) **


	14. Chapter 14

Steve stayed with Peggy all night. He didn't go home, he slept in the armchair. No one even dared to tell him to leave. Peggy hadn't even shown a sign of waking up. But he still didn't leave. He would hate if she wakes up in an empty hospital room, not having a clue on what was going on. Just like he did.

Steve was eventually woken up at 7am. He slowly opened his eyes to see Natasha stood beside him. Clothes in her hand. Steve rubbed his eyes and looked up to her again and pulled a small smile, still looking tired "Hi"

"You look terrible"

"Wow, thanks"

"Sorry that came out more blunt than I intended, but seriously Steve, you need to take a shower" Natasha then dropped the clothes into his lap "And change your clothes"

"But Nat-"

"Do you want her to wake up and seeing you look and smell like that-again I didn't mean for that to come out so blunt"

Steve sighed and looked back to Peggy. He didn't want to leave her side. He suddenly felt like if he left, she'd be gone when he got back. Like she is still a dream, that he never wants to wake up from. And Natasha saw this, she's been through this, God knows that she hardly wanted to leave Clint after he was brought out of his brainwashing from Loki. In case Loki would come back for Clint. Steve was scared that Hydra was going to come in and take her away.

"Steve, look there's a bathroom in this room and-"

"What? Seriously?" Steve looked around in the most surprised tone she had ever heard him speak in, Natasha raised her eyebrows "Really? That's the most shocking thing you've heard? Okay, yes there is over there, this is a private room and private rooms are fancy, there's a shower. Go have one, get in those new clothes" Natasha saw Steve's mouth open to fight back, she knew what he was going to say. So she answered before he even had the chance to speak "I will sit here beside her to make sure everything is okay, you trust me?"

"You know I do"

"Well then trust me enough to go and get clean"

Steve took his hand off Peggy's that he had been holding all night, stood up and went to the bathroom as Natasha sat in the chair.

Natasha didn't really know what to do at first. She just looked at Peggy and then muttered

"Well, I got to admit, even I thought about meeting you...this is not how I imagined it, for one I thought you'd be conscious"

Natasha noticed that Steve's jacket was on the back of the chair. She also then noticed something poking out of it. It was literally screaming out at her to take it. So she did. But it was something that was no surprise to her. It was his compass. Natasha couldn't resist but open it, the picture was still in a mint condition. She looked up from the picture and back to Peggy.

"He wasn't joking, you are just as pretty as you are in that picture...I've never been intimidated by an unconscious ninety year old before"

Natasha tilted her head as she looked at Peggy even harder. Already Peggy felt extremely important to her on regards to having her best friend be happy, finally.

"Look, I know the doctor said that you will be waking up eventually. But to save Steve a heart attack, please let it be soon"

Two minutes later. Steve was out of the shower and dressed. Natasha never known him have a shower and get dressed so quickly. He came out of the bathroom in a long sleeved white t-shirt, rolled up to just under his elbows and jeans. Natasha also provided him with the aftershave that he always uses. Natasha stood and let Steve sit back down "Natasha you can sit there if you want"

"No it's fine, sit down" Natasha smiled as she motioned her hand to the chair. Steve gave a grateful smile and sat down. Natasha grabbed the less comfortable metal chairs that were in the hallway and sat next to him.

Natasha looked to Steve "Did you get much sleep?"

Steve shrugged "A fair amount, probably the best you could probably get in this chair"

Natasha chuckled and then handed him the compass "I didn't mean to be nosey but"

"It's fine" Steve laughed "Nothing you haven't seen before" he put the compass back in his pocket.

He had his hands laid on the bed. As he was speaking to Natasha, his hands weren't holding Peggy's but they were close by to hers. All of a sudden, the two of them heard a murmur. And it didn't come from either of them. Slowly Steve and Natasha turned their heads, Steve even more when he felt his hand being gripped. They looked over to see Peggy's eyes slowly open. Steve lent forward as Natasha shot up. She placed her hand on Steve's back and said "I'll go get a doctor" with those words she went out of the room.

* * *

"Peggy?" Steve whispered. Her eyes were now completely opened, she still looked as if she was trying to get her head around where she was. As her eyes did not fix to Steve just yet. Steve's free hand traveled to stroking the top of her head "Hey Peg" his tone was a continue of whispers. Her eyes finally locked onto his "Steve? What happened?!" She felt herself begin to panic. Steve softly shushed her "What is the last thing you remember?"

"I-I was confused...like I am now but I was with you...in a van?"

Steve nodded "Yeah, that's right"

Peggy gulped heavily and looked at him "But I'm in a hospital? Why?"

Steve sighed and licked his bottom lip "You were intoxicated with a type of poison, it was out in there by Hydra, we think they were trying to either get you back to the way they made you or to...kill you"

Steve didn't notice what he had said that scared Peggy so much. Not the fact that they tried to kill her. But when he said 'the way they made you' that was what scared her. Because she didn't remember a damn thing.

"The way they made me"

Ah. Now he noticed. Again, he took a deep breath and slowly nodded, well now was the best time to tell her. It was doubtful that she'd let it slide again after wanting to know so many times before.

He took his hand from her head and held both her hands with his.

"Okay, do you remember how I said that we've both been asleep for seventy years?"

Said nothing and simply nodded.

"Right, well, what happened was that I was frozen whe-when I crashed plane...and that is how I became to be here, you were a different story. After you went on your mission, you were separated from your team and kidnapped by Hydra, you had tests ran on you and you were brainwashed into being an assassin...Hydra had you frozen for over seventy years, they were waiting to use you"

"If they had me as an assassin then why only use me now?" Peggy asked with tears rolling down her face, trying to take it all in piece by piece.

"Well, you were not alone...Bucky survived that fall. They used him as their main 'product' and you as some sort of substitute in case Bucky failed"

"Bucky...oh Steve I'm so sorry" Peggy tightened her grip onto Steve's hand. In a way, she found it a good thing that Bucky was alive. But it still must be hell. Steve shook his head and smiled "I'm fine, at least I have you"

Peggy tried not to dwell on what he had just told her. Peggy could always see right through him, she could see that although he was happy that she was okay. He was still hurt and worried about his best friend. "If any memories come back to me about being in Hydra, no matter how hard they may be, it could help figure out how to save him, right?"

Steve smiled and looked at her in amazement. She was still thinking about his feelings. And how to make him happy when she was already doing a lot it of it right now by just breathing.

"You're amazing"

Peggy rolled her eyes with the first real smile that she has had since awakening. Soon enough Natasha walked back in, with Tony behind her. Steve looked to Tony, surprised "What are you doing here?"

Peggy's eyes darted to Tony. She stared at him. Stared at him hard.

"I only just got back into town, Banner filled me in, did they get the poison out? Do they have a sample?"

Peggy gasped out in a whisper "Howard?"

Steve's head snapped back to Peggy, as did Tony's. It was the first time he had set eyes on the famous Peggy Carter. Hearing his dads name coming from her mouth made him deep down feel sad. She's confused. The medication must be scrambling her brain a little. But he felt sad because she was going to have to now grieve, grieve for all the friends she has lost. Howard. Jarvis. Daniel. It will be good for her that Angie still lives, so she can be there by her side till the near end. But still, all of this will affect her big time.

Steve also felt the same sympathy as Tony. As did Natasha.

Tony tilted his head and wittingly replied with "More like Howard two point o"

Steve quietly chuckled and then explained it in a better way than Tony did "Peggy, this is Tony Stark, Howards son"

Peggy's eyebrows shot up "Howard had a son?" She then added sounded even more surprised "Howard settled down?"

"Evidently" Steve motioned his head to Tony. Tony looked at Peggy and pulled out one of his cheesy grins "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Carter"

Peggy, still a little freaked out. Nodded with a little smile "Like wise"

Natasha the got back onto the topic of Peggy's health care "The doctor will be here in around ten minute to discuss Peggy's current state"

Steve nodded with his eyes still fixed on Peggy, as hers were still on his "What then?" he asked.

Natasha then said with a relieved sigh and a small smirk "Then she gets to go home"

Peggy smiled "With you?" she tripped onto his hands tight again. Steve laughed and nodded "Unless you'd prefer somewhere else"

"Never"

* * *

**I just had to throw in Nat and Steve brotp moments. I had to. Anyway yay! She's awake! See you wouldn't have to wait that long! After all, Peggy has a lot more things to deal with in the new world. Including her life with Steve and seeing Angie maybe? Please leave reviews.**


	15. Chapter 15

It had only been a few more hours, to 7pm and already Peggy was frustrated in being there. She had never been in hospital overnight. And she didn't want to start now. She hardly ever been in a hospital. And she didn't like people running around for her, she felt as if she could do it herself. Steve never saw her being independent as a bad thing. But he was creating a theory of being too independent. Then again, she had to spend a lot of her adult life doing things for people, she wasn't exactly used to people doing things for her.

She even hated that she couldn't go get her own tea. But Steve insisted so many times and went.

"She's going stir crazy" Steve said with a chuckle to Natasha, Natasha looked at Peggy through the room door window and shrugged "I would be too"

"Yeah you guys are more alike than you realise" Steve chuckled again as he poured the hot water into the cup.

Natasha looked down to Steve's side and asked "How are you?" regarding his bullet wound.

Whilst Peggy was asleep, the doctors attended to Steve's bullet and cleaned him up. He hardly even noticed the damn thing was there he was so distracted. Steve nodded and shrugged "I'm okay, nothing to worry about"

"Good, I'm just glad I didn't have to pull it out this time" She laughed "Does she know about it?"

Steve shook his head as they began to walk over to the room "No, and she doesn't need to know, it'll hurt her at the fact that she hurt me, physically too"

Natasha nodded and looked down at the time on Steve's watch "What time did the Doctor say she can leave?"

"He ran a test on her about half an hour ago, we're just waiting for him to come back and tell us that everything is okay, which he said is most likely, then he's got to give her rules"

"Rules?"

"Yeah, what he recommends she should or should not do for a couple weeks"

"She doesn't strike me the type to take orders"

Steve smirked and thought

_"You can't give me orders!"_

_"The hell I can't, I'm a captain!"_

He then replied with "She can be surprising with that sometimes"

Natasha didn't have a clue what he was on about, she told him that she would come round with the car in half an hour to pick them up. Then she left with a list. Steve gave her Peggy's clothes size for a top and pants, something comfortable that Peggy can rest in when they get back to the Avengers tower. Of course he gave her the money for it though she insisted he didn't have to.

Steve walked back in the room and passed Peggy the cup of tea. She sighed out and looked around her room. She had scanned the room so many times since being here but still it all amazed her. For one the bed was extremely comfy. Feeling like she was sink in the thing. But as nice as the bed was, she still didn't want to be here.

"We won't have to wait long, Peg"

Peggy rested her head back and looked up to the ceiling "You know what's weird?"

"What?"

"Ever since I remember, I've dreamt about something every night, but the time I was asleep, I didn't even dream"

Steve smiled at her innocent, confused little face and shrugged "Maybe it's because you're not in a place where you feel like home, I dream a lot of the night but when I was in here or staying at Sam's I didn't because it wasn't home to me"

Peggy looked to him "You think?"

Steve nodded "Yeah, and plus y'know you've been on medication, your brain hasn't been in its normal state"

Peggy hoped he was right. She hoped that wherever she was going to go with Steve, his home would feel like home to her, although she doubts that it wouldn't. Steve then teased her, he nudged her arm "Ever dreamt about me?"

Peggy rolled her eyes and tried to hide her embarrassed grin. Steve chuckled and nodded "That's a yes"

"Well, what about you?" Peggy teased back with her eyebrows raised. It was then Steve who tried to hide his embarrassed grin. Steve sat back in his chair "Just drink your tea"

It got to half an hour later and Doctor Jameson finally came back. Steve stood up, he knew everything was going to be alright but it was like an instinct to be worried. Peggy placed her hand on his leg for a moment, the fact that it was her signalling that everything was going to be alright made Steve feel like he was overreacting.

"Okay, well from the test we ran I'm pleased to say that the tests have come back all good, you're in the clear from any type of intoxication"

"So she can home home?" Steve asked as he put his hand on her shoulder. Peggy looked at the doctor with pure hope. Jameson smiled and nodded "Yes, you're in the all clear to go"

"Thank you God" Peggy whispered as she looked at the sigh of relief that came from Steve.

"However you are going to have to take it easy, be on bed rest for a couple of weeks, with the medication in your body to get the systems in your body back to normal"

Steve and Peggy both nodded, understanding the doctor's wishes. Natasha walked in the room to see the happy faces. It was good news she took it. Doctor Jameson gave Natasha a brief smile as he left the room. She looked back to them "Everything okay?"

Steve nodded "Yeah, she's given the all clear, so she can come home"

"Good" Natasha smiled. Peggy looked at Steve and then Natasha. She felt a hint of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't aware of Clint, she never even saw him. So of course, seeing how close Steve and Natasha were, has given her the wrong impression. Although she knew that Steve loved her, of course he had shown that over the short time they had been reunited. Still, Peggy began to wonder.

"I'll wait in the car" Natasha said and then left again. Steve took off his jacket and put in on Peggy as she sat up, placing her feet on the floor. The doctors didn't have anytime to get her into a hospital gown given the situation. She remained in her skinny black combat pants and the vest top she was wearing, however it was ripped, showing a great deal of the hip she had her operation on, hence why he gave her his jacket and zipped it up. Steve took her by the hands and helped her up. Although she was better, she was still weak.

It was the first time that Peggy had seen the outside world properly. Even the car that Natasha had brought she found unbelievable. And she was surprised at how completely normal Steve found it all. It was all so much to take in. When Natasha drove them through the heart of New York, Peggy was mesmerised. She looked to Steve "This is New York?"

Steve chuckled and nodded "Kinda different huh?"

"Kind of? It's bloody ridiculous, it was a thing you heard of in story books about the future but I never imagine it was actually to be true"

Steve rubbed her arm and nodded "I get it, took me some getting used to as well"

"Just wait until you see where you're going to live" Natasha spoke from the front.

"It's as big as these buildings?" Peggy asked in amazement, looking around at the big bright lights and the wide range of cars and the different styles of people.

"Just as big, much more advanced, it's Tony's building but we all live together?"

Peggy raised her eyebrows, again the jealousy came out of her. Subtly that is.

"You two live together?"

Steve could see right through Peggy. He knew when her jealousy was peaking through. He learnt that the hard way. He took hold of her hand and said with a shy smile "There are four and sometimes five of us, you'll meet four of them later. They are my team. Well you've met Nat and Tony, you'll meet Clint who is also Natasha's boyfriend" Steve raised his eyebrows with a little smirk. Peggy gave an embarrassed look and gave him a look to say 'sorry' for jumping to conclusions. Steve then added "and Sam doesn't live with us but he's still part of the team"

"And the fifth?"

"Names Thor, he's out of this world" Natasha said and then burst out laughing at herself. Steve chuckled and shook his head "That was bad, but seriously he is, he is from another world...he's a god"

Peggy raised an eyebrow "A God?"

Steve nodded "It's a lot to take in huh?"

"Well finding out there are different worlds and different Gods is a tad more hard to get grips on than it is about the way this country now looks"

Although, it was all extremely overwhelming.

Seeing the Avengers tower amazed Peggy. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before in her life. And with it being even more impressive at night with it all lit up, she found it even more incredible. Welcoming them into the building stood Pepper. With a bright and welcoming smile on her face.

"Welcome Miss Carter to the avengers tower, I am Pepper Potts"

Peggy smile and shook her hand "Nice to meet you, Miss Potts"

"Oh please, call me Pepper"

"And please, call me Peggy" she said with a light laugh as they walked into the building.

As Steve began to walk Peggy up to his room, she had some questions about Pepper.

"So what is her business here?"

"Pepper owns part of the tower, in partnership with Tony in both ways"

"Oh I see" Peggy said with a yawn. She then stopped "I feel as if I'm being rude"

Steve then stopped and turned to her "Rude?"

She nodded and then motioned her hand down to where the rest of the Avengers were "I'm now living with these people, your friends and I've just come up here with hardly saying a word other than hello"

Steve chuckled and shook his head. She is so polite that she feels bad from being so tired from her operation and basically the current situation. "Peggy, they understand. You're not going anywhere and neither are they, you can get to know them all in the morning when you are less sleepy and feel better, okay?"

Peggy huffed a puff at him and rolled her eyes. Again. She hates taking orders. But most orders that he gives her are ones that are the right ones. Steve walked over to his room, unlocked the door and stood aside for Peggy to go in first. Steve's room was huge, it was basically his own apartment, all he needed in the rest of the tower was the kitchen. On the bed she saw women's grey sweat pants along with a white t-shirt.

"I asked Nat to pick them up for you, I'm sure Pepper will be dying to take you out shopping"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, she will practically be your new best friend"

Peggy's smile briefly went away. She had hardly had the time to think about her best friend, her true best friend. Deep down in her heart. Angie. She then began to wonder if Angie was still alive. And Tony hadn't mentioned Howard, maybe there was a chance he was still alive. Jarvis. Daniel. She then heard him mention Nat and had to bring something up "I'm sorry about before by the way, I just got the wrong idea. I've never seen you that close with a woman before besides-"

"You?" Steve finished her sentence with a little smirk. Peggy nodded and again apologised, Steve waved his hand as if to wave the situation away "I understand, but you have nothing to worry about, she's one of my closest friends, and thats all"

Peggy sat on the bed and gave him a nod and a smile and lifted the t-shirt.

She was dying to get into something more comfortable. As soon as she looked up. She saw that Steve had his back turned to her "Everything alright?"

"Fine, I'm just...whilst you're getting changed I thought that I'd"

Peggy giggled to herself. He was still as awkward as ever. But she did appreciate that his gentleman streak has not worn off. Peggy went to list her vest top over her head after taking off Steve's jacket. But soon felt a sharp pain as she did. And the hissing noise she made let it be clear to Steve that she was hurting.

"What is it?"

Peggy looked to him, his back was still turned. But he sounded as concerned as ever.

"I'm just a bit sore, from the surgery, it hurts like bloody hell"

"Do you want me to…" Steve instantly didn't understand why he was even asking this. He never usually said something like that. But it was extremely surprised to hear Peggy finish his sentence as if accepting what he was asking to do "Help me?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah" she answered in a whisper. Steve turned around to see Peggy sat in her ripped vest top, showing half of her body. And yes, she was rather nervous. She had never revealed even a fraction of her body to him, or really anyone for that matter.

Steve gulped heavily and walked over to the bed. He handled this as calmly as any man could.

He placed his hand between the tears and ripped it even more, splitting it open completely.

"What are you doing!"

"Well I thought it would hurt you less to slide it off like you did with the jacket rather than pull it over your head that hurt you in the first place"

Peggy raised her eyebrows at him "Impressive"

"Thanks" Steve laughed.

Peggy stared at him, seeing how nervous he was. And she got lost in him. She was seeing the skinny little man she had fallen for in the first place.

"You want me to help you with your...what?"

Peggy then couldn't take her eyes off the bruises and healing cuts that she had put on his face. It hurt her, that she hurt him. Peggy bowed, her head down. As if to be ashamed. Steve didn't understand, she wasn't making any sense. One second she was smiling and the next she was close to tears.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Steve placed his left hand on her right cheek and lifted her head to look at him. Peggy sighed, she knew she was being stupid "I hate that I've hurt you"

"Peg-"

"No, Steve" Peggy softly ran her fingertips down his face and cried "Look what I've done to you"

Steve shook his head and lent his forehead against hers for a moment "It wasn't you"

He then took his eyes back to her and whispered "Alright? It wasn't you"

They stared at each other. More like gazed. Steve's eyes then traveled to looking at her lips. Peggy then did the same to Steve's. And this time. It was Peggy who wanted to be kissed. It was Steve who had to be the one to make the leap. And he did. Steve leaned in and pulled Peggy's face towards him. Clashing his lips onto hers. Something they both had been craving ever since they were reunited. Peggy's hands ran to the back of his head. Entwining her fingers in his hair. Steve placed his arms on her back, pulling her body in closer to hers. Steve had surprise himself on how open he had been. But it made Steve realise that he would not miss this second chance that he had been given with Peggy. But that also includes taking it slow.

After a long moment, they pulled apart from each other. With their eyes still shut, they both smiled to themselves.

"Okay, well we better get some sleep huh?" Steve whispered. Peggy nodded. Steve stood up again and turned away as Peggy slipped into her sweat pants and her t shirt. It still hurt putting it over her head. But that was just something she was going to have to deal with for a little while.

When she was dressed. Steve turned and smiled, he then grabbed the blanket that was under the bed and walked over to the couch He grabbed a pillow from the bed.

Peggy knew what he was doing, he was being the perfect gentleman. Which she did appreciate. Like he, Peggy also wanted to take things slow. Steve went in the bathroom and came out after a moment. He had his pajama pants on and no top. Which Peggy also greatly appreciated. Steve lay on the couch and looked over to her "Goodnight, Peg"

"Goodnight, darling"

* * *

**This is hella long because I got really carried away haha. But aw yay they kissed! Please leave reviews! **


	16. Chapter 16

Steve was right. Right about the dreaming. Peggy felt at home right away because she did in fact begin to dream. But. It was not a good dream in anyway. She was having a nightmare. However, it was more than that. The nightmare was not some twisted fantasy made up from Peggy's mind, but it was a memory. A memory from what she couldn't remember about Hydra. The gaps were slowly filling in by her dreams. It was not going down well.

It was 4am and Peggy was tossing and turning. Forehead sweating, her face reacting with fear from what she was seeing in her dreams, of the torture she went through and better yet of the torture she witnessed Bucky go through. The pain and horrors she saw were terrifying her now as she relived them. She was in a curled up, fetal position, as if to try and comfort herself as she went through this. Eventually though she couldn't take it anymore. Steve was woken up by a horror scream coming from Peggy. He jumped up from the couch and ran over to her. When he saw she was asleep, he came to conclusion of his own that her nightmare was some what personal. He had to wake her up. He knelt next to her on the bed and shook her.

"Hey, hey, hey Peggy wake up it's okay"

Her breathing was fast, her heart was racing. When her eyes quickly opened, she thanked God that it was Steve beside her but it also made it easier for her to breakdown. Peggy shot up and hugged him tightly. Steve wrapped his left arm around her waist and placed his other hand on the back of her head. Cradling her. Trying his best to calm her down, to try and stop her from crying.

"You're okay, you're safe, I got you" He whispered to her in a soothing tone. He repeated his words a few more times and eventually the crying stopped. Steve pulled his head back and cupped her face. Peggy sighed and looked down to the bed. Down to her hands.

Steve rubbed her back, still focused on comforting her and calming her down.

"Nightmare?"

Peggy nodded and mumbled as she rubbed her forehead "It felt more like a memory"

"A memory? Wait you mean...like from your time with hydra?"

"Yes, the things I don't remember"

"Do you want to...talk about it?"

Peggy took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she spoke "I was strapped down onto a metal bed, I had...five doctors standing over me and one was Zola, he was telling me how I was going on to be a new powerful hydra weapon, and then just torture. Pure pain and torture" Peggy cried. Steve hated hearing it almost as much as Peggy was telling it. He pressed his lips on her shoulder and closed his eyes, sighed and listened as staying there as she spoke.

"They hurt me in so many ways, and it's like in my dreams I can feel it"

Steve just wanted to make that pain go away, the pain that she had gone through and the pain that she is going through now because of it all. "And Barnes"

Steve then looked up.

"Bucky?"

"Yeah...I-I saw him, he was staring at me...screaming my name...I don't know whether it was a cry for help or a cry to try and protect me"

Steve gulped heavily and rubbed her arm "He knew how important you are, to the SSR and to me"

Peggy turned her head and looked at Steve in his ocean blue eyes. He gazed at her for a moment and then shrugged, as if to express that what he said was simply true.

"He's still trapped isn't he?"

Again, Steve shrugged "We don't know, we haven't heard or have had any sightings from him since a couple of months ago"

Peggy laid her face in her hands "I want to remember more, I want to help"

"Hey, Peggy listen, don't beat yourself up after everything you've been through, from everything that has happened has proved even more that you are the strongest woman I've ever know. And you can help, after all the more hands on deck the easier it will all be"

Steve wiped her tears and whispered "So come on, you know I don't like seeing you cry"

Peggy had the familiar sense of that line. And what became of it after, the second time that is. Especially by looked at the hesitation that Steve had on his face right now to kiss her, she knew that he was also thinking of the last time a situation such as this happened. Peggy leaned in, barely even a centimetre closer and whispered "I won't stop you this time, Steve"

Last time was a different story.

* * *

_"You won't be alone" Peggy's words echoed to Steve, when he looked back to her , he realised that she was right. She meant more than the thousands of army men with strength support, she also meant her moral support will always be there. And he appreciated it, but he still went to reach for the bottle of whiskey. Peggy, seeing him do so, snatched the bottle out of his reach before he had the chance to grab it for another drink._

_Even though Steve couldn't get drunk, he still shouldn't go putting too much of the stuff into his system._

_"You've had enough" she stated as showed concern in both her facial expression and her tone._

_"I feel like it helps" he shrugged._

_"You may think that, Steve, but deep down you know that it doesn't"_

_Steve sighed and sat back in his chair. As usual. She was right. He nodded and then apologised which led Peggy to ask "What are you apologising for?"_

_Steve rubbed his forehead "You must think I'm pathetic"_

_Peggy tilted her head and shook her head "What?"_

_For a moment Steve didn't answer, he just dropped his hand on the table. That Peggy quickly took in aid to get his attention, she squeezed it tight for a moment "Steve?"_

_Steve then blurted out "When you lost your brother" Peggy instantly took in a deep breath, to try and keep her emotions in control. Just the mention of John can reduce Peggy to shed a tear or two. But Steve needed her right now, and she had to be there for him like he was for her when she lost John._

_"You weren't acting how I am right now, you were strong"_

_"Do you think I didn't cry?"_

_"No? I was there with you when-"_

_"No...no Steve I mean really cry, what you saw was me lightly sobbing, I was putting on my brave face, but I wasn't strong Steve, not really...when I was alone, I cried hard, uncontrollably and I had never felt pain like it and I hope to never feel pain like it again...but if you hadn't of come to me when you did, then I would be right where you are, and I would have been in a much worse physical state taking in the fact that I can get drunk"_

_Steve gulped heavily and licked his bottom lip. Trying to think of what to say. He couldn't decide whether to feel guilty or proud that she would confess something such as that in order to comfort him. "I'm sorry, it wasn't meant to sound like I didn't think you grieved, I know that were in pain"_

_"Yes, I was, but I had you to help me, and I am here to help you, I don't want you to go through any of this alone"_

_"Cause you owe me?"_

_"Because I care about you very much" Peggy quickly answered back. Steve looked at her back in the eyes. Peggy laid on a soft smile "And I came looking for you because I wanted to be here for you" she then wiped his tears and said with a sigh "I don't like seeing you cry either" Peggy hardly even noticed that her hand remained on his cheek. Once again, they got lost in each other. Slowly they felt themselves leaning towards each other, their eyes shut as they felt their lips just about to touch._

_But, no matter how much she wanted it. No matter how much she wanted him. Now was not the right time, as his lips were merely a centimetre away, she whispered "Steve…" her tone was in a soft way to suggest that they couldn't. Or that they shouldn't. Steve breathed heavily through his nose, he remained there for a split second and then pulled away, both of them then re-opened their eyes._

_"You're probably right, it wouldn't be the best idea"_

_"Not in this situation, no"_

_By situation she meant the current state that Steve was in, losing his best friend has made him vulnerable. Peggy could tell by the fact Steve was going to kiss her. In a sober situation he would be too nervous to do anything even close to that. But Steve thought she meant their working thought she meant that they had to keep it professional. As that is what Peggy was usually talking about. Work._

_"Right, of course, you're my co-worker, my friend at most"_

_Peggy shook her head and went to explain what she really meant "No Steve that's not what-"_

_But she was stopped by finishing her sentence by the interruption of Dugan and Pinkerton. Calling out in search for both Steve and Peggy. When they found out America's golden boy went missing along with one of the SSR's top Agent, they thought it would be best to look for them. Of course many of the men back in the army camp made their own assumptions of what they were doing. None that were accurate. All that made Peggy sound degrading than she was._

_When Steve heard them, he stood up, straightened his uniform and cut the silence with a nod and stated "Well, I think that's our queue"_

_He then began to slowly walk and motioned his hand for Peggy to follow "Let's go"_

_Neither of them ever spoke about that night again._

* * *

Steve smirked and whispered back "I would despair if you did" he laid a soft, quick kiss on her lips as a way to again. Show comfort and that he is there for her.

"Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I think I will be, at least I hope"

"Good, I'll be here if you need me" Steve then hopped off the bed and began to walk over to the couch again. Peggy stared at him as he did so, she hesitated at first but she didn't want to be alone tonight, in anyway.

"Wait, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Will...will you stay here with me?" Steve saw Peggy motion to the bed and gulped heavily. He smiled softly and nodded "Of course I will"

Steve walked back over to the bed. Peggy moved to the right side of the bed in order to make room for Steve. As soon as he slid into the covers, Peggy quickly snuggled close to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her head against his chest.

"Thank you" she whispered.

Steve felt like he wanted to thank her. For letting him be here for her, this was all he ever wanted. Just this.

"I'd do anything for you, you must know that by now" Steve whispered as he stroked her hair.

Peggy didn't have another nightmare that night.

* * *

**So basically this is a filler chapter to show how things are affecting Peggy's mind etc. And that flashback is one of my personal faves that I have done. Anyway next chapter Peggy will be getting to know the rest of the Avengers. Especially Tony and Natasha. **

**Please leave reviews**


	17. Chapter 17

The two woke up hours later at 7:30am. Still snuggled together. Peggy slowly opened her eyes to see Steve's also opened.

She didn't know how long he had been watching her sleep.

Which was actually ten minutes. "Wow" Steve mumbled, with his voice still groggy from it being the morning.

"What?" she whispered as she stroked his cheek.

"You're just, you're so beautiful"

"Shut up" she laughed, rolling on her back and looking at the ceiling.

Steve smirked and leant on his elbows, carrying on looking at her.

"You feel better?"

Peggy ran her hand through her hair and then rest her arm above her head on the pillow. She didn't exactly have a nightmare as severe as the one she was being so frightened of. But she was seeming to relive some sort of memory, it wasn't the pain she went through. But it was the things she did, such as training and speaking to Hydra agents. She did not see Bucky, which she wished that she did. It could have helped if she did.

"Yes, I do, I dreamt of my life in there, of me training and having conversations with the people from Hydra...I feel like I'm some sort of traitor"

"You're not"

"Will your team trust me, Steve?" Peggy asked looking back in Steve's

"Of course they will! Listen, two years ago we went up against this...mad man who was like Schmit, he wanted to dominate the world-"

"And be a God?"

"Well...he was a God technically, he was Thor's brother but that is besides the point. Loki had this mind controlling weapon, and he used it on Clint, who is on our team. He made Clint attack us and even hurt Nat, who he loves. And he's fine now and we never saw him as a traitor of any kind because we know it was not his doing, and the same goes for you"

Peggy didn't know whether Steve was being genuine or if he was just trying to make her feel better, but she does know that Steve doesn't tell lies. So she took his word as the full story and honest truth.

Steve turned his head and looked at the clock, when he saw the time he knew the rest of the team would be up. So it would be a better time than never to get up and get Peggy to mix with them now. After all if she would be assigned as an Agent for Shield which is what they are hoping will be the case, she'll have to get to know everyone before hand.

The pair took their turn getting changed in the bathroom and then headed down to the kitchen where no doubt everyone would be. Tony is most likely to have made Jarvis put up a wide spread for breakfast that always takes ages to get through.

"Oh hey! Nice to see you guys up" Clint spoke with a piece of bacon still in his mouth. Charming.

Natasha nudged him and then motioned her head to Peggy subtly. Clint was yet to introduce himself and now was the time to do it, without the bacon in his mouth that it. He finished it off, stood up and held out his hand "Clint Barton at your service"

"Peggy Carter" Peggy took Clint's hand and gave it a light shake.

"I've heard a lot of things about you, don't worry all good" he laughed

"That's a relief, it's a pleasure to meet you"

"And you"

Peggy got acquainted with everyone. As she was speaking to Tony, getting to know about the tower and team altogether better. Steve and Natasha stood next to each other and watched. Steve glanced to Natasha and nudged her with his elbow "Ah, what?"

"Everyone has mingled with her apart from you"

"What are you talking about? We know each other, I've been the main one being there with you"

"Yeah and talking to me, you've exchanged a few words with her"

"I'm not so good at bonding"

"You and I bonded"

Natasha snorted a laugh and looked to him "It's little phrases like that-that make me feel nauseous"

Steve rolled his eyes and laughed "Okay, but still, for me please"

"Calm down, Rogers, I'll try and bond with your girl"

As Peggy sat down to eat, she expected Steve to be the one to come and sit next to her. But to her surprise, it was Natasha that sat next to her. Peggy wanted to get to know Natasha almost better than she would get to know anyone else, for she knew how much Natasha meant to Steve. And the feeling was mutual as Natasha knew how much Peggy meant to Steve.

"So, I do think that we have properly been introduced to each other" Natasha said with a smile, she then added with her hand out to be shook "Hi, I'm Natasha Romanov"

"Peggy Carter" Peggy said, also with a smile as she shook Nat's hand.

"Steve said he gave you the general over look of everyone"

"Yes but he was rather brief I must admit" Peggy said with a laugh as she looked at the unique bunch of friends all in the living room.

"I don't blame him, want me to tell you the full on everyone?"

"That would be great, Steve does tend to hold back"

"Okay, well we'll start of with Pepper over there"

Peggy looked over to see Pepper sat next to Tony, they seem to be either teasing each other or bickering. She remembered what Steve said, they were a couple.

"Pepper is Tony's partner and girlfriend, but let me tell you that woman is fierce as hell, seriously don't piss her off because she'll come back at you like a ton of bricks, but she's an amazing friend to have"

"What about Mr Stark himself?"

"Sarcastic, arrogant, got an ego the size of the damn tower, former womanizer and jackass, well the jackass part isn't so former"

"All good then?" Peggy laughed with a surprised look on her face at Natasha's sharp reply. Natasha chuckled and shrugged "No he's a good guy and he does care about those close to him, also very trustworthy and strangely likable"

"Sounds like his father"

Peggy mumbled with a smirk, she then looked down to her hands and sighed "May I ask you something?"

"About Howard?"

Peggy's reply was a simple nod. Natasha sighed and gulped heavily on the piece of toast she had in her mouth "I'm sorry, he died a while ago, when Tony was just a kid"

"How did it happen?" Natasha went to answer and then she saw Steve looking at her. The man had eyes like a hawk and could lip read like a trooper. He shook his head to Natasha. It was too soon for Peggy to know about Howard's tragic ending in this world. She knew he's dead, and that's all that she needs to know for now.

So Natasha pretended like she didn't know. As if it was some family secret with Tony. Peggy didn't believe it, but she accepted that Natasha wanted to save Peggy's feeling right now.

"I take it Mr Barton is a good man given your relationship"

"He's a cocky little man with an arrow" Natasha laughed.

"Hey!" Clint yelled from the living room. He didn't just have an aim like a hawk, he had ears like one.

Natasha shrugged and gave him a wink. Apology accepted.

"No he's great, down to earth, witty and caring...before him I never even believed in love"

"I know that feeling"

"Really, english?"

Peggy's head snapped to Natasha and stared at her. For a second she even thought she heard Angie's voice when Natasha called her that. She wasn't used to anyone else calling her that. Natasha saw the shocked and upset look on Peggy's face and wondered what it was that set her off "Are you okay?"

When Peggy realised she was staring a tad more than a normal person should, she looked away and nodded "Oh yes fine, it's just...a best friend of mine used to call me that"

"Would that be a Miss Angie Martinelli?"

Peggy then looked back to Natasha. Now even more shocked and confused "You know about Angie"

"You're going to have to talk to Steve about that one"

* * *

And Peggy evening, when Steve and Peggy were alone once again from being bombarded with spending time with the team. She laid down questions on the table. They sat at the breakfast bar over a cup of coffee. Well, coffee for him and tea for her.

"I want to ask you something, a few things actually"

He knew this would happen. A part of him just didn't think she would ask so early on.

"Okay?"

"How did Natasha know about Angie? Better yet how do you know about Angie"

Steve rubbed his forehead as his elbow rested on the breakfast bar.

"When I found out about you being here I wanted answers in anyway shape or form, Natasha did some digging from your background and saw that you lived with a woman named Angie Martinelli, Natasha found out she was still alive and in a nursing home, so I went to visit her"

"Angie...Angie is still alive?" Peggy cried with relief. She thought that she would never be able to see her face again, not having a chance to say goodbye. Steve nodded with a small smile "I still have the address, I'll take you there when you are off bed rest"

"But-"

"Peggy, you have a lot of things to process right now, the doctor said it would be best for you to relax for at least two weeks to make sure that all systems will be a go, just take these two weeks as a rester and then I'll take you, Angie is perfectly healthy and isn't going anywhere for a while now"

As usual, he spoke sense and was right. She couldn't argue with him, though she wanted to. She couldn't. And it would be best to prepare herself for the things she was going to have to face to adjust to what her reality is now like.

"Okay, and so comes my second question"

"Howard"

"Yeah" Peggy mumbled, feeling herself getting upset. She hadn't exactly thought about it fully when Natasha told her, it hasn't sunk in yet. Because it was so raw and so vague.

"What happened to him?"

Steve still didn't want to tell her, the doctor wanted to reduce stress. And he takes everything so seriously that he doesn't even want to tell her that.

"I don't know"

"Do not lie to me, Steven"

"Peggy look, Howard's death is already vague, I hardly know"

"Then tell me what you do know"

"Peg, please for now let this go, you don't want to know how he turned out, not just yet anyway"

Peggy looked into his eyes and saw that he was desperate for her to accept what he was saying and she knew why. Steve didn't want to break her heart again. And finding out about how Howard turned out would break her heart, because he was her dear friend and she loved him.

She bit her lip and nodded, accepting that for now, Howard's death would be put aside.

"Edwin Jarvis"

"All I know about him is that he practically raised Tony, which is why Tony's software that helps him with his work is called Jarvis, he lived a good life and died of old age in his home, I think his wife died either shortly after or before him"

"Do you know how old?" Peggy sniffled, hearing that Jarvis was dead also struck a nerve.

"I think Tony said he was around eighty? Maybe eighty two at the most"

"Okay" Peggy mumbled, wiping her tears she looked away from him for a brief moment.

Steve rubbed Peggy's leg "I'm sorry, I know I'm being vague but there is a reason"

"I know, you're just looking out for me"

"And that's how it's always going to be" Steve said with a confident smile. He hopped off the bar stool and asked "You going to come to bed?"

"Bit forward" Peggy teased. Steve rolled his eyes and faked a laugh. He would be back to sleeping on the couch tonight but will be at her aid if she had anymore nightmares. Peggy looked behind Steve to see Tony looking out the window to overlook the city with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Looking like a spitting image of Howard. She then got an idea.

"You go ahead, I'll just finish my tea and be up in a bit"

"Okay, I'll see you up there"

When Steve was out of sight. Peggy walked over to Tony and looked at him. He slowly turned his head to her with an eyebrow cocked up "Yes? How may I help Miss Carter"

"I need some answers Tony, and I know you'll give them to me straight"

Tony went to deny such allegations of him being a hard ass truth teller but the fact is, he kind of liked the fact that he was seen as a hard ass truth teller.

"Alright, what do you want to know?"

* * *

**Do you think Tony will give Peggy answers? And if so, what do you think Steve will do? Please leave reviews. **


	18. Chapter 18

A part of her felt wrong for going against what Steve had wished. For her to leave it. But she couldn't rest and couldn't think of anything else until she got an answer of how her friend had died.

"It's about your father"

"I suspected that, so, what do you want to know about dear old dad?" Tony said as he turned away from looking over the city and sat on the black leather sofa behind them.

Peggy turned around to face him, her arms crossed. But still looking nervous. It was a lot to ask a son about his father's death, especially knowing that it was not a peaceful send off. Peggy licked her bottom lip and stated "I do not mean to push on your personal life, but he was my friend"

"I know, he talked about you a lot" Tony stated as he then took another sip of his whiskey.

"He did?"

Tony nodded "He blamed himself for what happened to you"

That broke Peggy's heart. It wasn't Howard's fault, when he came to the SSR with the problem that led to the field job, it was Peggy who fought her way to take the mission with the one 'o seventh. Howard said that this mission was especially dangerous, and he wasn't doubting her skills he was just worried about her. But as usual, Peggy did what she wanted with her job.

"It wasn't on him"

"That may be true, but that didn't stop him from turning into an alcoholic"

"He did?"

It actually upset Tony to give her this news. He knew it mustn't be pleasant to hear it. But if she demanded answers, then answers is what he would give her. Tony stood up and poured Peggy a glass of whiskey, he handed it over to her which she quickly took and took a drink of.

"Was he a good father to you, Tony?"

"I'm not sure I'd give you the answer you'd like to hear. He wasn't the play in the garden type of father, he was more the work crazy having no time for his son kind of father"

"I'm sorry to hear that, although I didn't see Howard as a father I do know this. I do know he loved you"

Tony wasn't used to people saying this to him. In fact he had hardly ever heard this being said to him in his entire life, not even by Howard himself. Except on special occasions such as his birthday or Christmas. But nearer the end to Howard's life, he stopped saying it. His alcoholic stage took that affection away.

"You do huh?"

Tony sat back in his safe not being so convinced. But Peggy stood by her words.

"He always used to say that he would love to have a son. He had you, and I know how much he wanted you. So he loved you"

Getting sentimental wasn't Tony's thing. Especially with a woman he had only met, granted he grew up with the tales of her. But meeting her was a different thing. Tony cleared his throat and looked away from her. Seeing how he wasn't used to that sort of compliment Peggy skipped to what she wanted to know "How did it happen?" She felt a tear streak down her she asked. She barely even noticed that it happened.

But Tony didn't see, he was still looking away.

"Dad and Ma were on a drive home after a weekend away, dad wanted some time away from work and Mother wanted some time with dad, when hitting the city they were involved in a car crash, my mother died later on in hospital but my dad died at the crash, his injuries were so severe that he couldn't be saved"

"God Howard" Peggy cried in a whisper, covering her mouth and looking away from Tony. Tony looked back and saw her tears. Now he actually felt bad.

Tony stood up, walked over to Peggy and lightly took the now empty glass of whiskey out of her hand "I'm sorry"

"No I'm sorry, you lost your father" Peggy cried looking back to Tony. Tony tilted her head, granted that was true. But he grieved. He moved on. Peggy was just processing.

"You lost your friend"

Peggy placed the palm of her left hand on her forehead with her eyes shut. As much as she wanted to hear before, she kind of regretted asking now. She placed her hand back down on Tony's arm for a brief moment and then stated "I think I'll go to bed now"

"Okay, goodnight, Peggy"

"You too, Tony...and thank you"

With those words, Peggy turned away and went upstairs to bed.

* * *

When she reached the bedroom. And closed the doors as she went inside the room. She pressed her back against it as well as the back of her head. More tears began to stream down her face. All she could think about was the last conversation they had.

_"Peg, I'm not too sure about this"_

_"There's nothing you can say or do Howard that will stop me from going-"_

_"It's suicide if you don't play your cards right, you think Steve would want this-"_

_"Too far Howard, don't go there"_

_"I care about you too much to see you get hurt, if I lost you on this then I don't know what I'd do, it would be on me"_

_"No it wouldn't Howard, don't be foolish"_

_"Promise me you'll be careful, Peg"_

_"I promise you"_

Her cries turned into a sob. Steve wasn't asleep, he was in the bathroom. When he came out and saw her, he rushed over to her. He already felt like he knew why she was crying. He sighed and hugged her. He remembered that Tony was downstairs when they were and put two and two together "He told you, didn't he?"

"I asked him, and I appreciate his honesty"

Steve was angry. He was very angry. Tony should have known better than to tell her right now, she needed to not get stressed and her nightmares would already be doing that to her as it is.

"I would have told you everything when-"

"When I was ready, I know, I thought I was ready" Peggy sniffled as she pulled back from Steve's embrace. With his hands with firmly on her back he said "Then again, you aren't the type to leave something be when you are curious about something"

"You know me" Peggy mumbled as she lent her forehead against his chest for a moment, she then walked away. With his back still turned, Peggy got back into her sweat pants and climbed into bed. Her jeans were tolerable but she did not care for wearing the same shirt for both day and night. Steve offered for her to wear one of his shirts tomorrow as Pepper would do them a favor and shop for her.

Peggy laid back on her bed and asked "Do you think he suffered?"

"Don't do this to yourself"

"Oh I can't help it, you know what I'm like I over analyze everything"

Steve slipped his hands in his pajama pockets and walked over to the end of her bed

"And you know what I'm like, I worry about you" Peggy sat back up to face him, she skimmed her hand over his for a brief second as she said "And I appreciate that darling but you have nothing to worry about, I will be okay, it's just..finding out one of my closest friend ended up like that, it hurts but as I always hurt I always end up okay, this is just a shock"

Steve nodded, understanding where she was coming from. He wasn't as close to Howard as Peggy was, but still he was a friend and he grieved for Howard too. So he knew where Peggy was coming from.

"Well, like last night, I'm over there if you need me"

"Please don't leave me" Peggy whispered in a cry. Taking Steve by surprise. Peggy then shook her head and confessed "The truth is, I'm scared to be alone, I don't want to be trapped in that hell like I was last night"

"Alright, alright" Steve said in a soothing tone, to prevent Peggy from having a panic attack which she got earlier in the day by just thinking about it.

As Steve got into the bed, he noticed Peggy's long gaze at him "What?" he said with a concerned smile. Peggy gulped heavily and looked at her hand that was placed on his chest

"I'm still scared" she weakly whispered. Steve had never seen her like this. She was still so vulnerable. So fragile.

"I'm right here"

"I'm scared of the times you won't be, if you get some sort of mission that doesn't require me to go, it's something that I may have to deal with but with what happened the last we were separated-"

"Will never happen again" Steve reassured her. She still wasn't so convinced, so he added

"I believe that I've been given a second shot, and I'm lucky to have you to be part of that, I'll always come home, I'll always come back to you"

Steve noticed Peggy drift asleep as she smiled at what he said.

"I…" Peggy murmured

"You what?"

But Steve didn't get the rest of that sentence as she fell asleep. But that was fine, he was just glad that she got to sleep okay.

* * *

The next morning. Steve got up before Peggy and let her sleep. She had another nightmare last night, just as bad as the one before. But Steve managed to wake her up sooner and free her from the hell she was reliving. So he let her get some more rest, just as well. Then she wouldn't stop him for what he was about to do. When he reached downstairs, the first person he had his eyes set on. Was Tony.

"Hey!" he snarled. Tony closed his eyes and grumbled a strained moan. Pepper warned him that Steve wouldn't be too please for putting upset on Peggy. He glanced over to Pepper, she shrugged not really knowing what could be done. Best thing was for to hear Steve out and for Steve to then hear Tony out.

"Don't say I didn't warn you" Pepper whispered

"Thank you for your support honey" Tony whispered back.

Tony stood, turned and held his hands up "Let's be polite about this"

"Polite? I told people not to tell her what happened to those closest to her yet because she was told to take it easy, having her cry over her heartache from discovering how one of her closest friends died is not taking it easy, Stark"

"Look, she came to me because she couldn't rest without knowing, I wasn't going to shut her away when she looked as desperate as she did"

"Really? Cause you do a damn good job of doing that to everyone else"

Tony didn't want to admit it. But he didn't shut Peggy away because he admired her. From the stories his dad and Jarvis had told him about her as he grew up made her some kind of idol in a young Stark's eyes.

"Cap, I did her a favor and you know that deep down, she would have been building up all this stress-"

"Stop trying to twist it to make you look like the hero" Steve snarled as he squared up closer to Tony "The next time I ask you to do something regarding her feelings you do it, as I would do for Pepper's sake" Tony looked to Pepper in the corner of his eye. Pepper nodded as if to tell him to take Steve's request to quickly end Steve's feud and to put all of this to bed.

"Alright, I apologize" Tony stated. Which surprised Steve, but he was a noble man and would not push it forward. Steve back away. He then heard screams come from the bedroom again, they all did. At night time less heard due to being heavy sleepers but right now it was clear.

Steve went to run upstairs, before out of sight Tony gave a slight hint of advice "Steve, you can't save your girl from everything"

Steve stopped for a moment and looked at Tony in the corner of his eyes

"_My_ girl doesn't need saving, but right now, she just needs protecting"

* * *

**Poor Peggy! **

**Anyway please leave reviews below :) hope you enjoyed! **


	19. Chapter 19

**Warning! This chapter contains tears, heartbreak and flat out wrenching Steggy events. Read with caution :):):)**

* * *

A week went by. And Peggy had just about had enough being on bed rest. She went out only twice. She went out with Pepper once when Peggy's clothes were being bought for and then another time which was simply Steve taking her out for a drive in order to get some fresh air. But now that a week had past, Peggy felt as if she was fully well again and it was only her that could say that. Her nightmares had died down that was no lie. And Peggy wrote down everything that she remembered from her nightmares, it was mostly the torture she went through but she brought through the very big fact that Bucky did in fact remember and he tried to help her. Which gave Steve all the hope in the world, and it crushed Peggy to then inform him that he may have had his memory wiped again.

But Steve was still being cautious. Peggy was dying to start up training again but hearing that she should stay on bedrest for up to two week, it had only been a week. He trusted her, he really did when she said she was feeling better but she may be ready to go around the city, but she may not be ready to get back into fighting just yet. She may have no problem risking her well being but he sure as hell wasn't. Not until the next week or so was over, then they'd be fully in the clear. So you can imagine the conversation that took place when Steve was given his first field mission, regarding Hydra.

Peggy wanted to go out of pure revenge as well as wanting to help. She wanted to make them pay for what they did to her. For what they made her do to Steve.

Steve told her that he would do this alone this time. He would take Natasha, Clint and Sam with him. They weren't even sure if the warning they received would be a genuine threat from Hydra. Sometimes it's nothing. Either way Peggy wanted to go with them. With _him_.

Steve strapped up into his uniform, he went into his bedroom to grab his gun. Peggy rested on her knees at the end of her bed and watched him do so. He was leaving to go in this mission without her. And he hadn't said a word about it to her, he didn't say why he hasn't allowed her to come with them. Peggy was just as strong as Steve now, and hell, she's the one that taught him how to fight. She could handle herself. But Steve had a valid reason, that was buried underneath another. With hesitation at first. Peggy then stood up and walked over to the table, putting her hand over his gun, which caused him to look at her with his eyebrows slightly raised. She rubbed her lips together, trying to get her thoughts together as to what she wanted to say. Eventually she did. "I want to come with you"

Steve sighed and looked away from her, back down at the desk. Peggy carried on speaking

"I'm strong enough, I'm skillful enough and let's face it you need the support"

"I'll have your support no matter where you are" Steve looked back to her and said "And you're staying here"

"Steve!"

"Peggy I'm not doubting your skills or strength, don't think that for even a second...you've just gone through surgery and you may not care about risking your safety now but I'm not ready yet for you to get back in the field yet"

Peggy sighed and walked away from him, she had her back turned from him when she said

"It's not just that, is it?" She then turned back around to him and saw his confused and worried face. Once again Peggy rubbed her lips together before she spoke "What else is it, Steve?" She slid back on the bed on her knees.

Steve shrugged, he then ignored the question for a while as he loaded up his gun, when he put it into his strap he muttered "I have to do this this is my job"

"And it's mine, or are you forgetting who taught you everything you know?" Steve silence led to Peggy making assumptions of her own, she hitched a laugh.

"So this is all about you wanting to be the big man? Not wanting me taking your limelight or something" Steve sighed again and shook his head as he turned to her "No, I need to be the strong one here"

Peggy didn't catch on that he meant emotionally and went straight to presuming that he meant physically "Strong one? So that's it? This is all about being big and strong?"

"Yes-No! Not like that"

"Since you're Captain America that puts me in the sidelines as just what?_ Your girl_?"

"No!"

"Then what?! What?!"

Steve held his hands up to his chest and just blurted it out "I _can't_ lose you again"

Peggy's angry expression slowly dropped to a saddened one. But also a confused one by what he meant. Steve stood still and silent for a moment, taking deep breaths to try and keep his emotions from getting the best of him. He walked over to her and placed his hands gently on her arms and looked deep into her eyes "I did once, and it _killed_ me waking up in this world without you, if I lost you again I don't know what I'd do...I am not strong enough to lose you again" Steve then collapsed almost, burying his face in her shoulder as she cradled his head, trying to now stop her own tears she closed her eyes and stroked his hair. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked up to the ceiling. Feeling so terrible for accusing him of being so selfish.

"And I adore you for that" Peggy whispered, she kissed the top of his head as he looked up back up to her, she gazed at him, he had hold of her hands, he brought her left hand to his mouth and laid a long kiss on it. Peggy spoke as he did so "I understand, Steve, really I do...but how do you think I always felt? Like when you went to rescue the one o seventh? I was scared stiff of losing you"

"I know but I can't-"

"Don't you think we're stronger together?"

Steve pulled her forward by the waist and rested his forehead against hers and sighed, she felt his head do a little nod. Once again he sighed as he pulled back. He licked his bottom lip and felt as if he was going to get an ass kicking as he said the word "But..." Peggy raised her eyebrows to him and looked at him with lifting her head back all the way up. If looks could kill. Or seriously injure.

He then repeated "But...I stand by what I said, you just came out of hospital last week and the Doctor said to take it easy for at least another week"

Peggy groaned angrily and cursed under her breath as she sat back down on the bed and looked to her hands "Damn you, Steven" she was frustrated with him more than angry. She couldn't truly be angry with him, but she was frustrated all the time. Frustrated that she had to sit at home like little miss housewife whilst Steve was at work. And they weren't even married for God sake. Natasha knocked on the door and slowly opened it. She noticed how they both looked stressed and did feel bad on bothering them.

"I'm sorry guys, but Steve we gotta go, Hydra waits for no man"

Steve nodded to Natasha "I'll be right out" Steve turned around and looked at Peggy, but she wasn't looking at him. She just kept her eyes on her hands and bit her didn't push on it, hopefully she will see that was he was doing was for her sake. He laid a firm kiss on the top of her head "Wish me luck" he requested as he stood back up.

Peggy pulled a try chuckle and mumbled still not looking up "Don't die"

"I promise" Steve said with a smile and a nod. Peggy just nodded and then lay down on the bed. Steve accepted her coldness and knew that she wasn't mad at him. She was angry with the damn scar that she had to rest with from surgery. Steve walked over to the door and bit his lip as he went to hesitate on what he was about to say for the first time to her. The situation was not the ideal one he pictured. But he felt like telling her now would make her see why he was looking out for her.

"I love you"

Still nothing. But again, he accepted it nobly and just left. A split second after he quietly closed the door, quiet enough that Peggy didn't realise he actually left. She shot up to look at him as she said "I love you-..." when she saw that he was gone. She cursed to herself over and over again. Calling herself stupid. Also over and over again. Not really believing that she just did that, why did she wait even that second to say it back. Peggy sighed and lay back down on the bed.

* * *

Peggy couldn't do this. She could not just wait for Steve to get home. The nerves were building up more and more. What if he was hurt? She couldn't stop thinking the worst. The last time they were split up on a mission he died. To her, to the whole world, he was dead. And she would not let that happen again. Steve claim that he wouldn't be strong enough to lose her but, it was very much the same for Peggy. She'd died inside once before how could she even bare to go through it again? No. She couldn't. Peggy practically jumped out of bed and went to her side of the wardrobe that Steve did for her. She got into jeans, a white t-shirt and a dark brown leather jacket along with boots. Thank God for Pepper's fashion sense. She loaded her own gun and put it in the waistband of her jeans.

Of course she followed him, and of course she knew where they were going. She listened in to their conversation and then asked JARVIS to send her co-ordinates on how to get to where they were heading.

The fact that Peggy had to make her way down to where they were on foot. Made it take even longer, which for her got her even more frustrating since she felt as if she was wasting precious time. All she wanted was to find Steve and accept his aggro from him as they fought side by side. As she got closer and closer to the Hydra base that were were investigating. She saw Steve burst through a ground floor window. And not alone. Bucky was there. He had been wiped since Hydra found out that Bucky was being undercover to try and convince Peggy on who she really was. Now he was truly back into formation. She hid behind a car and watched them for a moment. She heard Steve speaking to him "Bucky! Bucky its me Steve!" Peggy got her gun out of her jeans. She would shoot Bucky down if she had to. Anything to protect Steve, he would thank her later. But she didn't do it yet. Only when Steve was in real trouble and couldn't handle himself. For some reason, she couldn't see anyone else in sight. Not Natasha, Clint or Sam. No-one. Odd. Very odd. Bucky kept throwing punches towards Steve.

"Peggy told me that you become yourself again, so I know you're in there deep down"

"Shut up!" Bucky grabbed Steve by the neck and lifted him off his feet. Peggy knelt up and pointed her gun at Bucky. Aimed at high, to his to top corner of his non metallic arm. It wouldn't kill him, but it would make him drop Steve. And was prepared. She was going to take the shot when she suddenly heard Steve scream, her eyes dashed from Bucky to Steve and saw the pain in his face, she then saw how Bucky pulled his hand away from Steve's stomach. And in his hand, was a dagger. A thick dagger that had blood all down it. She felt as if that dagger had been put into her. She couldn't breathe, it felt as if everything went into slow motion "STEVE" she screamed as he fell to the floor. He wouldn't get up. Peggy shot at Bucky in the shoulder without even having to take her time to get a proper aim. She hit him anyway. Bucky just ran. He didn't stick around to fight, he just left. Peggy jumped over the bonnet of the car and sprinted to Steve. When she got to him lying on the ground, she dropped beside him on her knees. She ran her right hand through his hair.

"Peggy?" Steve said in a heavy breath.

"Yes, it's me darling"

"I told you to stay at home"

Peggy smirked and said "And I told you that you can't give me orders"

Steve's chuckle to her witty comment turned into a cough and a hiss of pain. Peggy looked down at his hands and moved them away from his stomach for a moment. The cut was deep, he couldn't stop bleeding out. Peggy quickly covered his hands over it again and pushed her hands down on his "Keep pressure on it-"

"Peggy…"

Peggy continued to ramble "We'll get help we'll-Natasha will find us-you'll be okay!"

"Peggy" Steve squeezed her hand to get her attention and make her listen, eventually her watery eyes met his. She knew that face, he was accepting his fate. Peggy just shook her head a muttered "Don't" Peggy slid her hands onto his arms and looked around for any sign of Natasha and Clint...anyone. But it was like everything was a blur. She couldn't see anyone.

Steve felt his tears run down his face "It's going to be okay"

"Stop, don't lie to me, it will be far from okay, you can't expect me to be without you again and in a world that I don't know"

Steve put on a painful smile "My team-my family...they are now yours"

"But it won't be whole without you, just hold on Steve"

Steve gulped heavily, he then noticed that her hand was gone from his. He lifted his left hand weakly and whispered "Hold my hand, Peggy"

She did as he requested and took hold of his hand with her left, as her right was behind his neck, holding his head up. Steve once again gulped heavily, he looked at her with such pain in his eyes and confessed "I want you to be happy, yeah?"

Again, Peggy knew what he was doing. Trying to say goodbye. Again. She shook her head, with more tears now streaming down her cheeks and hitting his chest.

She spoke in a crying mumble " No, no no Steve don't you dare give up on me, because I need you, please"

Steve said the words that he never wanted to say to her. It felt worse than the dagger he was dying with "I want you to find someone...find someone who's better than me"

"I don't want anybody else, I want you and that will never change"

Steve turned his head towards her arm and laid a kiss on it. Peggy watched him do so and felt the tears that came from him drop onto her arm. God give her strength she was praying. God give her strength. "Steve?"

He then turned his head back up and looked to her and said "I'm sorry"

That was it. That was when her heart felt like it had broken into a million pieces. This man dedicated every _fibre_ of his being to saving everyone in this country. Especially the people he loved. All he did today was to protect her, no matter how stubborn she was to fight beside him. She knew deep down that he was right, she knew that she wasn't ready to jump back into the job. And yet, he is the one dying in her arms and he is apologising? Peggy refused to have the apology, as she had one of her own.

"No I'm sorry, I never told you how much I need you, I never told you how much I love you but by God I love you so much, sweetheart"

For him, that's all he needed to hear. Now, he could die a happy man. Steve knew that Peggy loved him. But he did need to hear her say it, even if it was at the last minute. Peggy was going to tell him soon, she was just waiting for the right time. This was never how she thought she'd say it, but it was enough to put a loving and relieved smile on his face.

With his breath getting heavier he had to practically push out his speech.

"I love you _so_ much, I love you" Steve sighed out as it felt harder to breathe.

"I'm not saying goodbye, I'm not saying goodbye"

All of a sudden, Steve's eyes began to drop. She was losing him. Her crying was getting worse "No, no please don't close your eyes, look at me, look at me, you can sleep later. At home. With me" Peggy lightly rubbed his temple with her right thumb to try and keep him awake, she whispered, now feeling so desperate. "Darling keep your eyes open"

But Steve's eyes continued to drop, he manage to whisper out the words "I'm so sorry" once more "No! Please Steve don't leave me! Please don't leave me!"

But Steve could no longer hold on. His eyes shut. He was gone. Peggy's speech turned into a small, still desperate scream "Don't leave me, baby please don't leave me" Peggy dropped her head against his. Still holding his hand. Wrapping her free arm around his neck again. She buried her face in his chest and screamed her muffled cries.

And then.  
Peggy woke up.  
Now that was the worst dream ever.

* * *

**Did I scare you? Did you think I actually killed Steggy? Never! Hope you guys enjoyed, do you think her dream will affect Peggy in anyway? Please leave reviews**

**I was gonna leave it for a bit but I couldn't resist. **


	20. Chapter 20

Peggy flung up in bed. Attempting her best to catch her breath. That dream felt too real. She placed her right hand on her forehead and noticed that she was sweating ever so slightly. Still taking deep breaths to control her emotions, Peggy got out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face to wake her up. A good thing this mascara was waterproof. She slowly slid her back down the shower and lent her head against it, closed her eyes.

"Calm down, it was just a dream...he's okay" Or so she was praying. She then felt a sense of panic build up to her, what if he wasn't okay? Or was he here? Peggy quickly stood up and ran out of the bathroom and then the bedroom entirely. She ran down the hall, calling his name over and over again. She made her way downstairs to the living room floor. But he wasn't there. Which is to what she had expected deep down, she doesn't know how long she was asleep, it may have no even been that long.

"Good afternoon Miss Carter" Jarvis' voice suddenly spoke making her jump slightly. She still hasn't gotten used to that.

"Hello, Mr Jarvis"

"There is no need to call me Mr Jarvis, Jarvis is all that is required for my service"

Peggy smiled and nodded "Yes I know, but we knew each othe-I mean, I was friends with the man you were named after, and that's what I used to call him"

"Ah I see, well whatever makes you comfortable, Miss Carter"

Peggy went over to the kitchen and put the kettle on. When she looked back to the area around her. She was rather amazed by the whole area. Everything was so advanced and, well, modern. Even the kettle was like something she had never seen before. But it didn't take a genius to work it out. She poured herself a cup of tea and walked over to the sofa in front of the TV. She needed something to distract her. This was the first time she had the house to herself. With Tony taking Pepper out for the day as it was their anniversary or something and Bruce was wherever. Probably in his lab, this was the first time she was in this house floor by herself. And there was something she was highly curious about "Mr Jarvis?"

"Yes, Miss Carter, how may I help?"

"Would you happen to have files on former SSR agents, even from my time?"

"Why yes my data for Shield and the SSR goes back all the way to it's starting date"

"Good, because I need you to find me the file of an Agent"

"What would the name of that Agent be, Miss Carter"

"Agent Daniel Sousa"

Daniel's files came up like a flash. Everything about his work life was shown, including his personal life. She saw that he had passed, age 90. That's rather impressive. Children. And a wife. She then grew to see that Angie was in fact the one to be his wife and she couldn't help but smile, Angie always said that Daniel was the one as soon as they got together. Peggy was glad to see that they had in fact stuck together, and whilst she was saddened about Daniel passing she was prepared for the likelihood that he had passed away. Peggy would see more but right now her mind was on Angie "Do you possibly have a file on his wife?"

"A brief, short one only"

"Brief and short is fine"

And brief and short is what came up of Angie, the simple facts. Her date of birth and current age which is 93. There were pictures of Daniel and Angie. Most likely picture frames that were left behind in the SSR.

**Wife to Agent Daniel Sousa. (1922-2009)**

**Roommate/Close friend to Agent Peggy Carter. (1921-1949)**

Peggy stared at the screen of Angie. She missed her. Strangely she missed her even more now that she knew Angie was alive. She was desperate to see her again. Peggy's mind has been off the topic of her friends who have died, including Angie whom is alive and well. But now that she is better, she can look at going to see Angie.

"Mr Jarvis, please take note of that address and send it to Steve's...mobile device?" she wasn't quite sure if that's what you call those things "I will need it sometime soon"

"As you wish, Miss Carter"

Peggy then heard a slam, her head snapped to where it came from. Slowly she stood up and waited.

"I'd beat you in a fight, Rogers" Peggy suddenly felt calm when she heard Natasha's voice. And then felt even more care knowing that she was talking to Steve, at last her dream no longer felt like such a reality, he was home. Steve laughed and nudged Natasha, he looked over to the living room and saw Peggy stood beside the sofa, staring at him. He smiled with warmth, hoping that she wasn't still angry. Peggy bit her lip and then ran, practically sprinted over to him and leaped into Steves arms.

Sliding her hand through his hair at the back and pulled a huge sigh of relief "Darling" as her cheek rested on his, her kiss fell on his tragus and pulled she him even tighter, Steve didn't question it, he was just glad she wasn't mad anymore, but then he heard her begin to sob. Softly, Steve pulled Peggy back and softly wiped her tears with his thumbs as he cupped her face "Peggy? Hey-hey what's wrong?"

Steve spoke with a light chuckle to mix with him being confused. He thought her mental state was back to how it was as her nightmares died down. Peggy shook her head and insisted that it was nothing and that it didn't matter. But clearly, Steve wasn't going to leave it. Peggy was crying, and he wanted to know why.

Steve rubbed his lips together as he slid his hands on hers and then walked her over to the sofa. They sat close, he rested his left hand on her right thigh, gently stroking it with his thumb as he looked at her with deep concern.

"It's honestly nothing, Steve" Peggy shook her head, looking away from him to take a sip of her tea.

"You're crying, Peg, I wouldn't call that nothing"

Peggy rolled her eyes and looked at his hand. She was getting butterflies just by his touch.

"Peggy?"

She breathed heavily through her nose. And licked her bottom lip, again she shuffled and spoke as if it was nothing "I just had a bad dream"

It had happened so many times now that Steve knew how to handle when she had nightmares, how to calm her down. "Okay, a dream, was that so hard? What happened in your dream?"

Peggy gulped heavily and looked back into his eyes "I followed you, on your mission...and Bucky was there"

Steve was then the one to gulp heavily, but he still remained as calm as he was before. This wasn't a memory, this was a simple dream made from her own imagination. But Steve didn't have time to dwell on Bucky's name being mentioned, she was his priority right now, he slowly nodded "Okay, then what happened?"

Peggy get herself begin to panic again. Just remembering it all scared her so much from it feeling so real "He stabbed you, right in front of me...and...and then you d-died in my arms, I couldn't stop you from bleeding and oh god" she cried, not even able to finish her sentence.

Steve pulled Peggy into his tight embrace and cradled her head. Peggy tightened her hold on him, feeling like she never wanted to let him go. "Listen, it was just a dream, it wasn't real" he cupped her face and kissed her forehead. But again Peggy shook her head "God, it felt _so_ real"

"Hey" he made her look at him again, Steve smiled as a way to reassure her

"It wasn't, I'm right here, I'm right here with you"

"You said that, you aren't strong enough to lose me again, right?"

"Right"

"Well, I can't lose you again either...because I" Peggy took a deep breath and then spoke again, with a smile now on her face but still with a sense of seriousness "Because I love you, Steve"

Steve's heart felt like it had skipped a beat, she said it. He knew that she did, but Peggy was a mysterious women, you could never tell what she was thinking it. She goes from hot to cold, that's how it's always been, one minute she's looking at him with pure love in her eyes when he returns from saving the 107th to shooting at him for what happening with Private Lorraine.

"You love me?" He didn't mean to sound so surprised, but he felt as if his mind was playing tricks on him.

Peggy nodded, tears still falling down her face she placed her hand on his cheek

"Yes, I do, more than I have ever loved anyone, actually" Hearing her say it actually took him surprise, to have a feeling is one thing but hearing her say it was another. It's all he's ever wanted. Just to know.

Peggy felt like she needed to make up for all the times she could have said it when she didn't. Before he went to rescue the 107th. When he returned from saving the 107th. She even felt like she should have said it when he quoted her 'You're late' and made it seem like he was going to kiss her. Which he would have, if she hadn't of backed out. And of course, she regretting not telling him before the plane crash. It killed her that she didn't take that chance.

"I love you so much" she repeated in a whisper as she brought her lips on to his. As Steve placed his hand on her cheek, he felt a tear fell down Peggy's cheek. That he quickly wiped away. He knew she wasn't crying because she was sad, this was just an emotional time. For the both of them, really.

Steve smiled as he pulled away, he placed a kiss on her forehead and another quick peck on her lips "I love you"

Peggy smiled with tears streaming down her face, Steve kissed her hands and then said

"Well, I need to ask you for a favor now"

Peggy tilted her head and raised an eyebrow "And what would what be?"

Steve all of a sudden felt nervous again. She has that effect on him. He rubbed her hands and looked back into her eyes "You need to let me take you out for that dance"

Peggy laughed and teased "Oh, very smooth"

Steve cracked a laugh and bowed his head down. That was what he was hoping to be, just not in the sense that made him so obvious. Peggy placed her hand on his cheek and lifted his head up, she leaned her face close to his and whispered before kissing him again.

"Of course, it's been a long bloody wait"

* * *

**Haha the feedback I got from the last chapter is crazy! Sorry for scaring you guys haha! Anyway love is in the air or what?! :) Next up is that date that is long over due! Hope you enjoyed this more fluffy chapter :) **

**Please leave reviews you lovely lot!**


	21. Chapter 21

Steve told Peggy he had to get some reports sorted with Clint and Sam. Peggy was walking down towards the bedroom when a sudden knot in her stomach came through. She began to feel nervous. She always loved the idea of going on a date with Steve but now that it was here she felt nervous. What did she have to wear? She hadn't bought anything to wear for a date that day she went out with Pepper. She didn't take a step further towards the bedroom, and step away. Towards Natasha's room. She saw Natasha going in there earlier and didn't see her come back out. So she took her chances and knocked on her door. From being nervous, Peggy knocked louder and for frequently than she anticipated. Either way she was glad that Natasha opened the door.

"Peggy? What's up" she had just woken up, you could tell by the way she yawned her words.

"I didn't mean to wake you, it's just...Steve asked me on a date"

"Well finally, jesus the guy has been building it up for ages"

"He has" Peggy said in a higher tone with a big smile on her face, showing just how adorable she found him.

"Yeah, but I still don't see what I have to do with it"

"Oh right, well you see, I never thought about Steve and I actually going on a date, it feels quite sudden but in a good way" she felt herself rambling again, so she cut straight to the point "I don't have anything to wear"

Natasha then nodded and laughed. Not at her, but because she finally understood where she fell into it all.

"Oh I see, come on then" Natasha picked up her car keys from the door side table and began to walk down the hall "Where are we going?"

"To get you a dress obviously, we'll send the bill straight to the tower what time is he going to take you out?"

"Eight o'clock on the dot"

Natasha looked at the time, it was now 4:30pm. They had to find a dress. Then get back, then Peggy had to do her makeup and get dressed. All in three and a half hours. It's a good thing Natasha could drive fast.

* * *

Peggy picked out two dresses, it didn't take that long actually. Both were lovely. The first one however didn't suit Peggy that well, both of them thought it. As she was trying on the second. Natasha, waiting outside the dressing room. Got a call from Clint.

"Hello, stranger"

"Hey, where are you? I was pretty disappointed to go to bed and you not be there"

"And I would be of use to you in bed?"

There was a rather long pause before Clint saying "Well, yes, actually"

"Oh" Natasha giggled. Now she understood. Natasha bit her lip and then added "I'm sorry, but I'm out"

"Well yeah I caught on to that, the question is where" Clint laughed.

"I'm with Peggy, she needed a dress for her and Steve's date"

"Is she freaking out too?"

Natasha then laughed and asked "Is he freaking out?"

"He's incredibly nervous"

Natasha laughed. You'd think at their age they'd be over this sort of nerve thing. Natasha gave a few more exchange to Clint, mostly ordering him around to make sure Steve will be out of the bedroom by the time they get back so Peggy can get ready. She then promised to return a favor to him later, so obviously he did as he was told.

When Natasha got off the phone, she turned to see Peggy in her second dress. And she'd be lying if she said it didn't take her breath away "Oh, yeah that's the one"

* * *

Steve took his clothes into Thor's quarters. After all it wasn't like he was coming back anytime soon. Natasha had Peggy back at 5:45. Plenty of time. Peggy went into her bedroom. First a shower, she then blow dried her hair and curled it. She liked her hair to look like how it did before coming into the modern world, it's how she had it for the majority of her life. She did her make up, obviously adding her classic ruby red lipstick. It would be wrong if she didn't wear that. Pepper let Peggy borrow a bottle of her perfume. You can't go wrong with a bottle of Chanel. Then in her dress she got. By the time all of that was done. It was bang on 8 o'clock. And the door soon got a knock as the clock hit 8. Peggy then wondered...did he wait a whole minute before it hit 8 outside just to be there on the dot?

When she opened the door. Her vision of Steve was him in a gorgeous black suit. A long black tie, he even did his hair like it used to be. It was as if they were both trying to relive the date they should have had all them years ago. And he looked so handsome.

Steve's vision was Peggy in a long blood red dress that traveled just below her knees, it would be just like the one she used to have if it wasn't for the white lace pattern travelling down both sides of it.

He was taken back by her, but he still said with a little smirk "I wasn't late this time"

"I noticed, third times a charm" Peggy smiled as her hand draped down his suit jacket. She pressed her body against just for a second, so she could lay a kiss upon his lips. As she pulled away, Steve said in a quiet, genuine tone "You so look beautiful"

"So do you" she didn't know if that sounded odd to hear. But she did mean it, Peggy found him such a beautiful man, both inside and out. She was nothing but honest.

Steve took her by the hand and they began to walk outside and into the car. Steve could obviously drive there and back since that he couldn't get affected by any alcohol that gets put in his system. It seemed that Hydra gave Peggy a fewer dose of the serum because she could still feel alcohol making an effect on her. She couldn't tell whether they were being sexist to give her fewer doses for being a woman or if they were being courteous to still let her drown her sorrows when needed.

* * *

Steve took her to the Gramercy Tavern. One of the best restaurants in all of New York. Rather pricey too but, she was worth it. God knows she was worth it.

"This looks rather expensive, Steven, I do hope you're not spending stupid amounts of money" Peggy stated as Steve pulled out her chair for her.

Steve went to deny, but the fact is. It's expensive. Peggy saw his embarrassed face and just giggled. He was never good at coming up with a little lie.

The time they spent talking about God knows what made the night feel to be going so quickly. The food was amazing and worth every penny. They then just spent their night in the restaurant talking over drinks.

Peggy got onto the subject of something that she was curious about for quite some time now

"Do you miss it, Steve?"

"Do I miss what?" Steve asked feeling like he's been brought in halfway into a movie.

"Your life, back then I mean"

Steve paused his answer and took a moment to think about his answer. Part of him wanted to say yes, and then a part of him wanted to say no. So he split his answer down the middle and said with a light shrug "There are parts, a part of me wished I could have lived my life the way it was meant to be, a lot of _what ifs_ go through my mind"

"Like?"

"Like, what if I could saved Bucky when I had the chance, what if I could have stopped Hydra from compromising shield...and what if I could have lived my life with you back then, the way it should have been" Peggy saw Steve's face and knew that he was feeling guilty. And he had no reason to be, for any of those things. But the one thing he will be kicking himself mostly about right now, is Bucky.

"You have a chance at saving him, Steve" Peggy stated as she took hold of his hand from across the table "We just need to get a new sense of direction, that's all"

"You're right, we've just got to widen our strategist"

"And the things you don't miss?"

Well, that was more of an easier question, he answered much quicker "The food, the beds that I have from my experience, there's a lot more equality and the clothes are nicer too"

"Is that because a lot of women wear their dresses, skirt and tops about five sizes too small?" Peggy mocked in a whisper as there were two women matching that description on either side of her. Steve laughed and sat back in his chair, shaking his head "I think you're mistaking me for a Stark"

"Oh this would be Howards dream" Peggy laughed.

"And you?" Steve asked.

Peggy scrunched her nose a little as she confessed "Right now, I miss it, but I will get used to here, plus I have you so...it isn't a total disaster"

"Of course you miss it, that's only natural, want some more wine?" Steve asked as he politely called over a waiter. Peggy watched him as he did so and then commented "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Maybe" he laughed.

Peggy then wanted to know something that had happened with them in the past that were still unclear to her. It wasn't a huge deal but she never had the chance to ask him since she found it out after he had 'died' "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything"

Peggy rubbed her lips together and asked "I remember that Dugan said to me that, although you were a rather private person, you told him once that you had feelings for me, not long after you met him"

Steve didn't know where this was going. And he wasn't sure if he liked where it was going.

But he did remember that night, they were swapping tales around a bottle of bourbon, Dugan told Steve about the first girl he ever loved, and Steve then did the same. It was hardly a surprise to Dugan though. Or to anyone for that matter.

"Yeah, I remember that night"

"Why was Dugan told and not me?"

Steve chuckled and shrugged "Have you seen yourself, Peggy? A guy like me ending up with a girl like you was not something you saw everyday"

She found it hard to believe. And not just because he was one of the most outstandingly good looking men anyone would have laid their eyes on but also because, she fell for him for his personality, of course she found him adorable even when he was skinny, after all that's when she began her feelings for him, her instant need to care for him.

"A guy like you? You mean, a kind, gentle and sensitive man who did nothing but look out for me? I'm nothing special Steve"

"That's where you're wrong, you were nothing but special to me, and that's why...chickened out to tell you, I felt like I wasn't good enough"

"My darling" Peggy lightly squeezed his hand. "You were _always _good enough"

Steve didn't want Peggy to feel bad for him, he lent forward slightly and stated "Thank God for second chances to tell you though huh?"

"Thank God"

* * *

An hour later they had decided that it was time to go. After all, there was something else that they needed to go. Steve did some research to find bars that do slow dancing in New York. He found one that was just near Central Park.

Both of them felt nervous again as they walked to the dance floor. There were a few people dancing but not too many. Steve walked Peggy over to the bar that was next to the dance floor.

"I'll be right back, stay here"

"Where are you going?" Peggy gripped onto his hand. She still felt a little on edge being out, alone. Like some kind of fear that she'll be taken away again. A habit from how her mission went.

"I'll literally be two seconds, okay? Don't worry" Steve slowly slid his hand and walked away.

Peggy waited, with her foot tapping due to her impatience. But like he said, she didn't have to wait for long to find out what he was up to. When the song came on. Her favorite, The Way You Look Tonight. He remembered. And that made it impossible for her to hide a grin.

"So, are you ready for our dance?" She heard Steve say from behind her. She turned placed her hand in his and smirked "Yes, please"

Steve whisked her onto the dance floor, pulling her body very close to her. Right hand all the way to her lower back. Other, linked to her right hand as her left laid on his arm.

Considering he last told her that he couldn't dance. He sure as hell could now.

"Who taught you?"

"Are you going to make me feel guilty?"

Peggy lightly shrugged along with a mumbled laugh. Almost as a way to say 'we'll see', and the first person that came to mind was of course Natasha. She was no longer jealous of Natasha being a threat romantically to Steve. But she was jealous of the fact that during Peggy's _absence_ Natasha was the one who was his moral guidance and she's taught him many things.

"Well it wasn't Natasha if that's what you're thinking"

Damn. He could read her like a book.

Peggy raised her eyebrows "That does surprise me...how many girlfriends do you have?" she asked in a joking tone, causing Steve to laugh, leaning his head against hers for a moment and then shook his head.

"You're going to laugh when I tell you"

They danced a little while more before Steve answered "It...it was Tony technically"

"Tony?" Peggy said, trying not to laugh to much.

"We didn't do the dancing like this but after we succeeded with defeating Loki, Tony hosted a party and I couldn't dance so he made go to classes just in case"

Among finding it rather funny, she also found that rather sweet.

"Well, I'm very impressed" she whispered then kissing him softly on his cheek.

Steve spun her out and then back into his body and brushed his lips against hers. Peggy's arms traveled and wrapped loosely around his neck as he wrapped his arms around waist. Their foreheads lightly pressing against each other as they swayed side to side.

"Can we just stay in this moment?" Steve whispered.

"For as long as you'd like"

"How about forever? Does forever sound good to you?"

Peggy fondly smiled and bit her lip, taking her eyes back to his "Forever would be perfect"

She played his the back of his hair as he hummed the song to her. Forever seemed like the perfect place to be right now. They hardly spoke throughout the entire song, and the next. They were soaking up every moment. The next ten minutes of their life was dancing and kissing and smiling. The ten after that were dancing, talking and laughing.

* * *

The night got later, Steve and Peggy headed home before it got too got to the front door that opens to all the quarters of the living room, and the bedrooms. Before Steve opened the door, he turned to her and said "Before we go back into the mad house" Steve then paused as he took Peggy by the waist and pulled her close to him again and said with a fond smile

"Did I mention how beautiful you are?"

Peggy giggled and kissed him with such fire and passion this time. Making him beg for more when she pulled back.

"You were always my favorite soldier"

"Ditto"

"I wasn't a soldier" Peggy shook her head. And Steve didn't like that, he didn't like her putting herself down. She really didn't know her own strength.

"Believe me, Peggy, you were and _still_ are" Steve gave her a quick peck on the forehead and opened the door before she could battle against him. They walked down the hall, hand in hand. Peggy glanced to the living room and saw someone she didn't recognize "Steve, who is that?"

Steve looked over to the living and looked confused. He knew who it was. He just didn't know why they were here "Fury? He's the Head of Shield, come on"

They walked in the living room to see the rest of the team looking rather down.

"Nick? What's going on?"

Nick looked at Steve, almost worried "It has come to shield's attention that we have a hydra bug in our organization"

Steve grew even more confused "What are you talking about? Who?"

Nick then looked to Peggy and nodded "Her"

* * *

**I'm not 100% confident about this chapter but writers block will do that to you!**

** Ah the date was going so well! What do you think will happen to Peggy?**

**Please leave reviews below. **

**(Hopefully not on my account like a certain friend of mine haha) **


	22. Chapter 22

Steve felt Peggy's grip around his arm tighten. Steve gave a stone cold look to Nick.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Nick sighed and looked back to Steve "Care to explain why you didn't inform me that Miss Carter was within our organization base?"

"Well I'm very sorry Nick, I was too busy focusing on getting her well again after her almost _dying_"

Peggy remained silent She didn't know this man, and quite frankly she was too scared to say anything because of his purpose for being here was to do with her being here.

"From being a Hydra agent"

"Don't you dare" Steve snarled, he refused for Nick to make Peggy sound like some sort of villain. And Nick didn't like doing this, but it wasn't just him that had a say in who to be cautious about, he had the council to listen to.

"How do you know that she is not undercover? Because from what I've heard, it sounded all very simple to break her out of that stage"

Steve went to fight back. When "Steve, I'm scared" Peggy whispered as she turned her head away from them and lent it against his arm.

Steve looked to her, seeing the state she went into, he looked back to Nick and motioned his free hand to her "Look at her, Nick, does she look like she's a raging hydra agent to you?"

Nick sighed and held his hands up "Steve it isn't me, it's the council, they find it odd that Miss Carter's situation was kept as a secret"

"There was no secret! Like I said, we were focusing on getting her better" Steve paused his rant. Shouting wasn't going to solve anything, Steve kissed the top of Peggy's head and then walked over to Nick. He held his hands together, as a way to show he was going to stay calm.

"We were going to get her better and then we were going to come to you for her to start up her training to be an agent, all she wants is to get her life back on track"

"I respect that Steve, and I'll talk to the council, but they may not be so convinced, they think that she is a liability and she could be put on trial"

"She's not a liability, she's one of the best goddamn agent this country has ever had, get her file up...she's been through torture, if you had to sit up with her every night after she's had panic attacks from remembering what they did to her then you'd know that she is playing no game, she's a victim of abuse from hydra, nothing more, nothing less"

Nick nodded "I just wanted to let you know, personally"

"Okay, fine, you tell your council that I will fight tooth and nail for her, they won't touch her, unless they agree to have her as an agent which they'd be damn foolish not to then I'm not interested in anything they want, she is part of my life and that's not going to change for anything, understood?"

"I'll put it by them to change their minds"

"Yeah you do that" Steve mumbled, he turned around to see Peggy no longer stood there. Natasha looked at him. She felt guilty, she knew how much this night meant to them both, she stated "I asked him not to do this tonight, but he insisted"

Steve rubbed her arm and softly smiled "It's okay, it won't ruin our night"

* * *

Steve went into the bedroom to see Peggy stood in the center of it, her back was turned to him. She heard him come in but she was too busy taking deep breaths to calm down. She felt Steve's hands travel from her shoulders all the way down to her hands

"Don't take any notice of it, don't let it ruin our night"

"Why do you think I walked away?"

Steve softly kissed the back of her neck and whispered "They won't touch you"

"Doesn't mean it doesn't scare me"

Steve pushed her hair away from her left shoulder. Her bare neck now showing, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. Peggy closed her eyes and let out a soft moan as she laid her head against his. She didn't mean for her to even make a sound, it just sort of happened. Well, he had just discovered something. Neck kisses was a weakness of Peggy's. His kisses went to the back of her shoulder and slowly led back to her neck.

She then felt him stop, he turned her around to look at him and cupped her face.

"I've got you"

Peggy smiled and then gulped heavily, she confessed in a whisper "I don't want to be torn apart from you again"

Steve looked at her, really looked at her. And saw that she was happy, and she was scared. Scared of being unhappy _again_. He stroked her cheeks with his thumb as he whispered back "It'll never happen, baby"

"You promise?"

"I promise" He kissed her nose, and then her lips, a long tender kiss on her lips on fact that made her swoon. She was rather surprised when she felt his lips travel from her lips, to her cheek then further down to her jawline. But God forbid that she stopped him. His hands were gripped to her waist, pulling her body even closer to his. Steve began to trail soft and light kisses on her neck. Peggy didn't know what came over her but she let out a very satisfied sigh along with her smile. She felt herself getting very hot. His lips were so soft, it made her begin to tremble "Steve maybe we should..."

Steve lifted his head and looked at her with his ocean blue eyes, he would of course stop if she didn't want him to continue, he raised his eyebrows and mumbled "Yeah?"

Peggy gazed at him and forgot everything. What was her name again? Why did she even speak? She lightly shook her head to dismiss her foolish halt on things "Never mind, proceed"

Steve smirked and went back to kiss her neck, Peggy ran her right hand through the back of his hair and closed her eyes, if he was trying to seduce her, then it was definitely working. She never wanted him more. Steve made his lips back to hers, it soon turned into a hot and passionate _make out session_.

Steve then felt his jacket being pushed off to the floor, he slowly pulled back and stared at her. Her little smirk. Peggy pushed his hair back and then scanned his whole face. Steve all of a sudden felt nervous, his face felt as if a red flush had hit him.

He smiled but gulped heavily from his nerves getting the best of him "Are you sure that we- are you sure that you want to?"

Peggy laughed and pressed her forehead against his chest for a moment, she looked back up to him. But she saw how serious he looked and could tell this was a big deal for him, as it was for her. Her laughter was her nervous giggles. She soon stopped laughing, Peggy placed both her hands on the back of his neck with her thumbs resting on both sides of his jawline, she licked her bottom lip "Darling listen...I love you, and I hope you love me"

Steve laughed at her obvious 'sort-of' question "You know I do"

Peggy attached her lips to his for a moment, biting his bottom lip as she pulled away, she then muttered "Say it"

"I love you" Steve went to kiss her again, before he had the chance to. Peggy asked a favor from him again, her whisper fell to be a seductive one "Tell me you want me"

Seeing her go and bite her lip made him answer straight away, god this woman drives him crazy "I'll _always_ want you"

He thought she didn't need telling that. Peggy didn't need to hear him say it. But she wanted to hear it.

Peggy tried not to smile too much but it was almost impossible, she then wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his face extremely close to hers so that their lips were barely even an inch away. Steve felt extremely nervous, he had never done anything like this before, he had never wanted to do it with anyone else besides Peggy. And now that he is doing this and it is with her, it makes him want to not screw it up. Which is one of the main reasons why he was now letting Peggy take control, considering the fact he still thought he didn't know a thing about women. Peggy's noticed he's picked up a few tricks though.

"Then don't hesitate this we've been holding back for so long and now all you have to do...is show me, Captain" she spoke in a seductive whisper once again.

Steve couldn't hold back any longer, he smirked and whispered back "Yes ma'am" and he wasted no time and smashed his lips against hers, slightly making her stumble back but she was already safely locked with his strong arms around her body. The palm of his left hand spread and pressed against her back. She felt Steve unzipping her dress. Soon, Peggy was literally swept off her feet as he lifted her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist, they held each other. Well, more like Peggy just had her arms wrapped around his neck whilst he effortlessly held her up, she rested her head against his as he went back to planting kisses on her neck. By the soft innocent moans that escaped Peggy's lips, he could tell that it was driving her crazy.

"Bloody hell, Steven" she sighed out, feeling extremely satisfied already.

Steve stumbled backwards, further towards the bed. He suddenly dropped to the bed, Peggy lay underneath him with her legs still locked around his waist.

Soon as they knew it, his shirt came off and her dress did. They stopped for a moment, Peggy looked at his incredibly impressive body. Peggy ran her fingers all down his upper body, from his chest, smoothly down to his waist. Steve however did no such thing, he just scanned her perfect figure, her perfect curves, he ran his hand softly down her neck, all the way down to her waist and whispered "You are so beautiful"

Peggy smiled and softly bit her lip as she stared at his and then gently ran her fingers down his lips before putting her hand to the back of his neck "God I love you _so_ much" she cried, then pulling his lips back down to her.

* * *

Natasha walked down the hall and to Steve's door. Obviously she wasn't going to rude, she went to knock on the door. And then she heard the throwing of what she presumed was pants since she heard a belt being unbuckled and threw to the floor, at first she thought nothing of it. She thought he was just getting changed. Then when she heard a woman's voice along with giggling from both of them. Natasha caught on. Her jaw dropped, she backed away from the door and tried not to make a sound. Clint, heading to see Natasha is their bedroom, saw her tiptoeing away from the door. Like something from a cartoon. "Nat?"

Natasha jumped slightly and shushed him, she silently jogged over to him and pointed to the door "It's Steve"

"What about Steve?" Clint found himself whispering and didn't know why, probably because Natasha was whispering. He thought she meant that he was upset, that what had just happened did really ruin their night.

"He's getting laid!" Natasha smiled brightly putting her thumbs up. Clint laughed and glanced to the door. So, it didn't ruin their night after all. He looked back to Natasha and saw that she was clearly proud of herself since she helped Peggy with getting ready for the date.

Clint chuckled and nodded "Okay Cupid, your work is complete now come on, let's go get some coffee"

Clint took her by the hand and began to walk backwards, leading Natasha to get some coffee. Also taking step backwards Natasha kept her eyes on Steve's door, placed her right hand over her heart and said with a pouted lip "I feel like a proud mother"

Clint wasn't even sure what that was supposed to mean. His mother certainly never set him up for sex. He rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around her waist and picked her up.

"Come on" He then stopped and turned into a different direction, towards their own bedroom

"Oh yeah, you owe me a favor, right?"

* * *

**Too hot. Hot damn. So yay steggy fondued! Finally! **

**Do you think the council will stir trouble or let Peggy be apart of shield? **

**Please leave reviews below! **


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Peggy spread her arm across the bed in hoping to feel Steve next to her. But she opened her eyes when she felt nothing but an empty space next to her. Peggy looked up and around to see Steve by the kettle in the far corner, back in his Calvin Klein underwear. He looked over to her, like he did five times already just to see her sleep and this time was surprised to see her awake

"Good morning, sleeping beauty"

"Come back to bed" she groaned as she lay back on the bed, pulling the duvet back over her naked body.

"I'm making you tea"

"It's not the tea that I _want_"

Steve brought it over anyway. Because he knew she'd end up asking him to get up in a while and make her one. When he sat down on the bed with the tea. She sat up and took it from him. Steve laughed and joked "Oh, so you do want the tea"

"It's in my DNA as a British person" Peggy laughed as she took a sip of her tea. She licked her bottom lip as she looked at him. Steve laughed and shook his head "Don't do that"

"Do what?" she chuckled. She once again licked her bottom lip, he pointed and said "_That_"

"Lick my lip?"

"Yeah, it makes it difficult"

Peggy looked at him with a confused smile "It makes it difficult to keep my hands off you" Steve grumbled as he put his lips to Peggy's cheek. Making her giggle and moving to the side for a moment to put her tea down. She leaned back and put her lips onto his "I should do it more often then"

"Last night was...it was-"

"I hope you go for something above the word adequate" Peggy tested him with an almost confident smile of her..._performance_. Steve ran his fingers through her hair "Are you kidding? It was the best night of my entire existence and it was so unexpected"

"Unexpected? Were you going to wait it out?"

"Well, there's such a thing as foreplay" Steve laughed as he lay back in the bed. Peggy kissed his shoulder and then stated with a light laugh of her own "I think seventy years is enough foreplay"

Peggy laid back on the bed, snuggled closely up to Steve, making circles on his chest with her finger as she thought about things. From the silence, Steve soon picked on that Peggy was having thoughts, and his bet was on the other thing that happened last night "Are you worrying about what Fury said?"

Peggy didn't reply at first. Because the more she thought about it, the more she realized something that surprised her.

"It's odd really, I'm actually not"

"Really?"

Peggy propped herself up, leaning on her elbow to look at him "When you told me that they won't touch me I instantly felt a sense of safety, and I was scared for about a second more...I thought that I would go back to being scared after you stopped _distracting_ me but I don't, you've just made me feel safe, I know that I can handle whatever they throw at me but for a moment when he was talking about it all, I was worried, but you changed that"

"Good, because I meant it, they'd be idiots not to have you back as an agent but if it comes to the worst case that they won't, they won't have anything else to do with you, I won't let them go near you if it puts you in any kind of trouble"

Peggy looked at him with such love in her eyes. He would go to the ends of the earth for her, and she was taken back by it every single time he proved it. Since she knew that he would do anything for her. Now was the time to ask him for the thing she was thinking about.

"I need you to help me"

"Okay? With?"

Peggy took a deep breath. She stroked his cheek and sweetly stated "I want to see my friend"

He knew that was coming. Sooner or later, he was expecting that she would ask within a few days of this week. Steve softly rubbed her arm and nodded "Are you sure?"

Peggy rubbed her lips together and then tilted her head "It's time"

Of course he wasn't going to deny her request at seeing her friend "Okay, I'll take you later on today"

"Thank you, sweetheart, I appreciate it"

"But I have a request" he stated holding up his finger.

Peggy raised an eyebrow "Which is?"

"Let's just stay here a little longer?"

Peggy smiled and lay her head back on his chest, laying her arm across his bare stomach as he pulled the duvet back over the two of them. Maybe ten more minutes.

* * *

"Sir, with all due respect what the council are saying is...crap" Maria had been fighting Steve and Peggy's corner all morning to Nick.

"Agent Hill, like I said to Rogers, it wasn't I who had these concerns, I had some but my views have changed from seeing Agent Carter"

Maria then pointed as she heard the word _Agent_ "See? Even you see her as the Agent she is, I've spent time with her, she's willing and able to work with us...most of the female agents here felt like they could do this job because of her, myself included"

Nick looked at her, he didn't know if he was confused or impressed. Maria shrugged and stated "Maybe you don't know but she's kind of a legend"

She then saw Nick raise an eyebrow, he was surprised at her defense against someone she barely knew. Maria shrugged and said with a small laugh "Okay _no-one_ judged Coulson with his little man crush on Cap so no-one can judge me for defending someone that I admire"

"And I respect you for it, Agent Hill but I don't see how your stand makes a difference-"

"Because I have a proposition you could give the council"

Now he was interested. Maria folded her arms and walked a step closer "You want her trust, yes?"

"Then give her a training day, like you recruited me, you had me show my fighting skills and my shooting skills and then what did you have me take?"

Nick's eyebrows flung up, why didn't he think of it before "A lie detector test"

"To what?"

"To make sure you weren't a hydra bug"

Maria smirked and slapped Nick on his folded right arm "Why would would they turn it down? It would prove to them if she was or was not a traitor"

Nick ran the palm of his hand over his mouth, thinking for a moment. But he had to give it to her, it was "Genius, Hill" he complimented. But Maria already knew this. And she was sure that Steve and Peggy would agree to it. After all Peggy wanted nothing more than to get back into training and work, and clearly to clear her name of any allegations held against it.

"So you'll do it?"

"I can't see why they'd refuse, so yes I will run it by them"

* * *

Peggy said to Steve that he should go get some brunch and that she would join him in a minute. She told him it was because she just wanted to get changed. But that wasn't entirely true, what she really wanted was a moment alone. She wasn't sad, she felt like it was almost impossible to be sad after what happened last night. But she did just want a moment alone to gather her thoughts about going to see Angie today. Peggy felt like she had prepare herself, Angie won't look the same, she'll no longer be that freshed face young woman who Peggy knew and loved. When asking about her, Steve informed Peggy that when he met her, she was described almost the exact same as she was when she was younger which pleased Peggy. Angie never lost her spark. Not even on their last moment together.

_Angie sat on Peggy's bed as she watched Peggy pack her bag. She didn't want her to go on this mission. Angie never likes it when Peggy goes on missions but this one seemed to have even Peggy slightly rattled._

_"Maybe they can send someone else?"_

_"This is my job, Angie, I wouldn't let anyone take my place on this"_

_Angie sighed and lay back on the bed "What if I paid you not to go?"_

_She heard Peggy giggle at the bed of the bed "Well darling I'd say that you must be keen on me as your housemate"_

_"You're my best friend of course I'm keen" Angie stated as she then sat back up to face Peggy. She looked to Peggy's side table and saw the picture of Steve. Peggy looked up from her bag and saw Angie do so, she shook her head "Don't bother bringing him into this on how he'd want me to be safe, Howard already tried that speech"_

_"Oh no I wasn't going to...did it work?"_

_"Does it look like it worked?" Peggy laughed motioning to her bag. _

_"Steve was well aware of the danger in my work, we worked together and he was...proud I hope, that I wouldn't back down"_

_"I'm sure he's proud Peg, but look Daniel told me that you guys are walking into something that is so vague you hardly know, doesn't that sound like a trap?" Being friends with Peggy and dating Daniel made her more aware of what the SSR was really about, she was learning slowly but surely. But even she knew enough to know that this didn't sound right_

_"Well it's my job to find that out" Peggy saw the saddened look on her friends face and then sighed "Angie, I appreciate your concern really I do, but all I could really do with is your support"_

_Angie took hold of Peggy's hand and nodded "You have it, you've always had it you know that right?"_

_"Yes, of course"_

_Peggy and Angie both looked at the clock. It was getting late, and Peggy had to be up early for this mission. Peggy looked to Angie and squeezed her hand "It's getting late"_

_Angie nodded but felt like she didn't want to go "You'll be gone by the time I wake up?"_

_"I'm afraid so"_

_Angie took a deep breath and gulped heavily. Without warning, she pulled Peggy in a fond and tight embrace. The two women both shut their eyes to take in the moment. Angie pulled back and looked Peggy in her piercing eyes "You better come back here in one piece, else I'll never forgive you"_

_"Well, no pressure then"_

_"I mean it, English" Angie said with a laugh. And then added in a more serious tone "Come back to us, yeah?"_

_"I shall do my very best" Peggy nodded, then pulling Angie in for a hug once more. Angie gave Peggy a quick peck on the cheek and then headed to the door. Before she did, she looked at the picture of Steve again and then at Peggy "Hey,Peggy?"_

_"Hm?" Peggy looked back up to Angie. Angie laid on a soft smile "He's not the only one who's proud of you"_

_Peggy looked at the picture and grinned as she looked back to Angie "You have no idea how much it means to me to hear that"_

Peggy shook off her last memory with her best friend as her tears were peeking through.

'Knock it off Carter' she said to herself as she stood up and when to finally get dressed.

* * *

"Nice night, Rogers?"

Steve looked up from his sandwich to Natasha's amused face and nodded "Yeah, yeah we did"

"I know, I heard you"

Steve stopped chewing for a moment and stared at her. He gulped his ham club sandwich down heavily and raised his eyebrows "You...you heard us?"

"Oh god not like that! No, I went to go see if you two were okay and I just heard you...leading up to that?"

"Ohh"

Steve put his sandwich down and rubbed the crumbs from his hands. He looked away for a moment and couldn't help but smile just thinking about it "You are so smitten" Natasha teased as she took a seat at the breakfast bar. Steve then looked back to her and went to deny it. But then he realized, why would he deny it? He was in love, they wouldn't have slept together if they weren't.

"That a bad thing?"

"No not all, I just remember that, when it was all honeymoon period"

"What? And now it's different?" Steve said with a laugh.

"Well yeah now it's like-"

"Hey babe, have you seen my arrow cleaners I left it by the TV set and asked you not to move them" Clint said walking in. Natasha smirked and pointed behind her to Clint and finished her sentence "Like that"

Steve laughed and folded his arms as he looked at the pair as they almost began to bicker at where Clint's stuff was. When she turned back around she just rolled her eyes.

"But you still love him" Steve stated with a shrug. Natasha and Clint were past the honeymoon stage and were in the domestic life style stage.

"Yeah, God help me" Natasha laughed she then stood up, out of no where she held the palm of her hand up to Steve, as if to high five him. He raised an eyebrow and asked "And this is for?"

"For getting laid after over seventy long years of waiting! Yay!"

Steve looked at her with an amused smirk and shook his head "Nat, I'm not high fiving you for that"

"Okay, then high five _me_ for getting laid after two long days of waiting"

The amount of proudness that ruled Nat's face was outstanding. Steve rolled his eyes and didn't leave her hanging, giving her a high five to prevent her from being rejected on _something_.

"Steve?" Peggy's voice echoed as she made her way down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Yeah?" He called back as he resumed to munching on his sandwich. Peggy lent against the glass door frame and motioned her head to outside "Can we go?"

Steve held up his sandwich and asked "Can I finish this first?"

"I'll finish it for you" Natasha stated as she took his club sandwich out of his hand. Steve stared at her, not really understand what just happened. Natasha motioned her sandwich filled hand to Peggy and nodded "Go on"

* * *

**So this is just a filler but I threw in some cartinelli, romanogers brotp moments and as always some Steggy.**

**Also go Maria Hill am I right?**

**Anywayy cartinelli reunion is coming up!**

**Please leave reviews**


	24. Chapter 24

The car ride was fairly silent. Peggy was nervous, it was a different kind of nervous. Steve glanced to her and saw her twiddling her thumbs. She does that when she gets nervous. Steve slipped his hand into hers as his other still had control over the wheel, she glanced to him and gave a grateful smile, grateful that he was trying to give as much support as possible. Peggy slid her hand out of his and ran it up to the back of his head, playing with his hair.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

Steve glanced to her and knew that she wanted some reassurance that everything was going to be okay. And he was sure it will be but he was still honest "I'm sure it'll be very emotional for the both of you, but you'll be okay...and she'll be relieved"

Peggy softly smiled and whispered "What would I do without you?"

Steve looked at her and joked "Probably have to walk"

Peggy mumbled a little laugh and leaned her head towards him, planting a kiss on his cheek.

The car ride after that was filled with conversation. But when Steve pulled outside the nursing home, it went back to being silent. Peggy stared at the building up and down and took deep, slow breaths. To her, she felt hadn't seen Angie in only almost three weeks. But to Angie? To Angie it would have been seventy years. In those years she's grieved, she's cried for Peggy and now this would be the biggest shock of her life. Steve squeezed her hand again and stated "I can come in with you if you want?"

Peggy lightly shook her head as she looked back to Steve "No, this is something I have to do"

And of course he understood, he nodded and tapped the steering wheel as he said "Okay, well I'll be right out here"

"Thank you" she whispered, giving him a quick and light kiss on the lips she got out the car. Before she shut it, Steve quickly added on "I love you"

Peggy ducked her head slightly to look at him before she shut the door "I love you"

When Peggy walked in and told the receptionist who she wanted to see. She learnt that Steve had already called ahead to ensure that she could see Angie today. The nurse brought Peggy to outside the door. Before she went in, Peggy requested that she could go in by herself. She didn't want to cry in front of anyone else that wasn't Angie. So the nurse left her to it. Peggy put her hand on the handle, once again took a deep breath. She could hear Angie inside the room, humming to a song. Slowly, Peggy turned the door handle and slowly opened the door. Her vision was her friend wrapped up in her bed, looking down at her book with big glasses on. Peggy began to tear up already.

Angie heard the door close but didn't look up as she assumed it was just her nurse.

"Yes, Leanne what is it, dear?"

Peggy didn't answer, she walked further towards the bed. It was as if her words got jammed, the only thing she said was "I thought I might tell you about my day, if you have a moment?"

Angie didn't look up at first. But she was in a state of shock. She could never forget that voice, slowly, Angie looked up. To see Peggy stood in front of her. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. What was she seeing? How was she seeing this? Was she seeing a ghost, cause this would be the first.

"Peggy?" she cried in a whisper. Peggy laid on a soft smile "Hello, Angie"

But Peggy then witnessed Angie shake her head "You're...you're dead, you look so...alive"

Peggy then walked around to the side of Angie's bed and closer to Angie herself "It's because I am, Angie"

_"Hello! Anyone home?!" Angie excitedly burst through the mansion's door to find Jarvis, Daniel and Howard, Dugan all stood in the living room together. Angie charged into Daniel's arms. Giggling with excitement._

_"What's going on?" Daniel asked, trying to put on a smile for the time being before telling Angie the heartbreaking news he had to deliver._

_"Y'know that audition?"_

_"Yeah"_

_"I got it! I got it! My first broadway show, Daniel"_

_Daniel again put on a smile for her, he was happy for her deep down._

_"That's...that's great Ange"_

_Angie looked at Daniel, then Jarvis and then Howard and noticed how gloomy they all looked "Jeez don't look too happy! Hey is Peg home yet? She should be back from her mission right now! She said she would be home today from her letter"_

_Angie looked around the house and saw no sign of bags, heard no kettle being boiled. Angie looked back to the men and asked again "Where is she?"_

_Daniel gulped heavily and ran the palm of his hand over his mouth and took a deep breath. From that moment, Angie knew something was wrong "Daniel? Daniel please"_

_Daniel opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head at him "Don't, don't say it...if you say it then it'll be real"_

_Daniel tilted his head and took hold of her hands "I'm sorry...but Peggy isn't coming home"_

_Angie's breath hitched, she felt like she couldn't breathe altogether. Instantly she began to cry and still shook her head "But she promised, she promised she'd come home"_

_"I'm so sorry, honey" Angie sobbed, she cried so much that she fell to the floor._

Angie just kept shaking her head "But you-" she stopped her sentence when she felt Peggy grab her hand. Now it felt real. Peggy looked Angie in the eyes and said softly "Look at me, this is real, I'm here" Peggy brought Angie's hand to her own cheek "See? I won't fade away"

"Peggy" Angie cried, now in total belief that this was real.

"It's me" Peggy stated with water filling her eyes. Angie's sobs grew louder. Her emotions were now getting the best of her, this was all so much to take in. Peggy gently pulled Angie's fragile body to hers and hugged her fondly "My darling friend" she whispered as she stroked Angie's soft silver hair. Angie gripped onto Peggy tightly "I don't understand"

Peggy pulled away and sat in the chair next to Angie's bed, still with her hand clutched to Angie's. Peggy licked her bottom lip and said with a small laugh "Neither do I"

"It's been seventy years...they told me you were dead...and now you're here and so...young"

"It's...it's complicated"

Angie laughed and shrugged "I've got time"

Peggy took a deep breath and nodded. Angie was brought into the situation easily, steadily. She didn't go into too much detail on what she went through with Hydra. It was the other way around she certainly knew she wouldn't like to hear of all the painful things that Angie went through. It would be too painful to even hear. Angie stopped Peggy near the end as she from being totally taken back "Frozen? Jeez Peg...I've heard some things in my time but...how did they never find you?"

Peggy simply shrugged and took a wild guess "Hydra were good at hiding their secrets"

Angie nodded and looked down at her hand that was holding Peggy's. Peggy tilted her head as she scanned Angie's face and asked in a clear tone as Angie's hearing isn't what it used to be "Are you alright?"

Angie nodded and then eventually lifted up her head to look at Peggy, she looked into her eyes and simply stated "It's a lot to take in"

Of course Peggy understood, it was a lot for her to take in when she first saw Steve again, seeing that he was alive. She knows how surreal and strange it feels, looking at the person you spent years thinking is dead to now be alive and well staring right back at you. As if you're looking at some kind of ghost and are just waiting for them to fade away from your sights at anytime.

"I know it is"

"Daniel searched for so long" Angie stated glancing at the photo of then did the same and smiled softly "He was a good man"

"It affected him, losing you...affected all of us" Angie stated, Peggy looked back at Angie. With a sense of sadness lingering in her expression. But Angie didn't want to dwell, or cry about it. She had a good life with Daniel and she didn't want that to be doubted, Angie then got back onto the subject and asked "So how did snap out of it?"

Peggy then couldn't hide her smile when she answered with a loving tone "Steve"

Angie then smiled and nodded "That explains why he was here...he was trying to think of ways to get you back"

"He probably didn't want to tell you in case it didn't happen"

"I'm glad it did" Angie said with a sweet smile as she squeezed Peggy's hand as she said it. This still felt so surreal to Angie, and to Peggy for that matter.

Angie sighed and stated "I wish you could've seen me on stage"

"Oh yes, I read that you made it on broadway, Angie that's wonderful, I knew you could do it"

"Almost felt wrong doing it without you"

"Don't be silly, I'm proud of you, proud of the life you built for yourself"

"Yeah...yeah I've lived a life...but I missed you everyday"

"I've missed you too"

Peggy then saw a picture of Angie's child. Well, she presumed it was her daughter. It was of Angie cradling a baby "Angie, you didn't mention you had children"

Angie looked over to the photo and smiled fondly "We called her Peggy"

Peggy looked up from the picture in total shock, her eyebrow raised and she said, with her tone expressing that she was a little taken back "Really?"

"Named after the woman whom we both loved, who we both missed...we wanted you to be known to our family, this was our way of doing it I suppose" Angie finished her sentence with a laugh.

She then added on with a proud smile on her face "It seemed right, she visits often with my grand children, although they are hardly children anymore I suppose, you'll have to come back here and see them, they come every wednesday and sunday, Peggy comes on her own on Mondays"

"I'd love to meet them" Peggy replied in a soft, sweet tone and smile.

"You've lived a happy life Angie?" Peggy asked, wanting to ensure herself that her best friend had the best life that she could possible have. Angie nodded again, with a loving smile this time "I was loved by my husband till his end, I am always surrounded by my beautiful daughter and grandchildren...and now I have you back, and as strange as this may feel to me right now, seeing you again... I can leave this world knowing that the people I love are alive and well, and to be with my husband once more"

Peggy wiped the tears the ran down her cheeks and smiled "That's all I ever hoped for you"

"And it's all I hope for you...because this is the first time I've seen you like this in all the years I've known you"

"And what's that?"

Angie leaned forward slightly and stated "Happily in love"

"Angie" Peggy shyly laughed as she sat back in the chair.

"I'm ninety three, I'm not stupid" Angie sat up more in her bed, and reached over for Peggy's hand again. She spoke with a soft smile and with a soft tone "From what you've told me in the past...you and he waited too long and you regretted the fact that you did, at first I didn't know what it felt like to love someone like you did, and then I did, I still do...look what I'm trying to say is, I know what it's like to be so in love and you've got a second chance at this, so don't blow it, make as many memories as you can, happy ones...you're a beautiful woman english, and a beautiful life with the someone you love is what you deserve, it's all I ever wanted for you"

* * *

Peggy spent another hour with Angie, although it felt like five minutes. Peggy looked at the clock and when she saw the time, she realised that she had Steve waiting for her outside. She promised to visit her soon and often.

Peggy went outside to see Steve sat on the hood of the car with his sunglasses on, going through his phone. Looking like your typical 21st century man. Steve felt hands slide on his thigh and then thanked his lucky stars that it was Peggy went he looked up. Because if now then that wouldn't have been good. Steve smiled as he slid his phone in his pocket. He ran his hands down her arms "How was it?"

"It emotional but...it's made me happy"

"Good, I'm glad" Steve muttered as he gave her a quick kiss on the lips "I was going to take you to lunch but we are being called back to the tower"

Peggy raised an eyebrow "Both of us?"

"Yeah, Maria sent me text and said she wants to talk to us and that it's good news"

She let out a brief sigh of relief when hearing that it was good news. Everything had been so tense lately back there that she could use with a spot of good news, her day was going well already today. She would like it to keep that way.

Peggy stepped back to allow Steve to get off the hood of the car, she straightened his jacket for him as she said "Well then, let's not keep good news waiting, hm? Oh and then we go for lunch"

"Deal"

Steve walked over to Peggy's side and opened the door for her. He hoped with all his heart that what Maria had to say, will put Peggy back on the right track for getting shields trust.

* * *

**I know I usually do daily updates but I've been so stuck lately :( anyway hope you guys enjoyed it! **

**Do you think Peggy will take Maria's offer to earn shields trust? **


	25. Chapter 25

When the pair got back to the tower. They found Maria along with the rest of the team in the boarding room. And from the look on their faces they seemed quite positive.

"I spent all day trying to get Fury to make the council overlook your situation and to not put you on trial or anything like that"

"And?" Peggy asked with a clear sense of hope in her tone. Maria folded her arms and rubbed her lips together, she hoped that what she was about to say was going to look like a good thing to Peggy and not some sort of trap "They've come to an agreement, they said that they will give you a training day"

"What, like the one you and I took?" Natasha spoke up with her finger go back and forth to herself and Maria. Maria nodded and then motioned her hand to Natasha as she turned back to Peggy "Yes, exactly like that"

To Peggy, this was also like music to hers. Finally she could show shield what she could do and how she could be a valuable agent for them to have. Maria carried on explaining what it would include "You will have to show your fighting skills by going against one of our agents, your skills with weapons such as a gun which is most likely all you'll have to show when it comes to weapons and then comes the non physical test which involves and interview"

"Which also involves being strapped with a wire and they use a lie detector test to ensure you're not a traitor" Natasha bluntly added on, not meaning to make it sound as sinister as it came across, and the way Natasha said it did make Peggy feel slightly nervous. But Maria shook her head and said with reassurance "It's just one or two wires that help connect with your nervous system, and don't worry they don't scream in your face for answers, the key is to just stay as calm and truthful as you possibly can"

Steve then spoke up from behind Peggy and asked "When do they want this doing?"

"Two days from now"

Steve stepped forward to be right next to Peggy, he turned his head to her as she then did the same to him "It's up to you" Steve stated with a shrug "But if I were you, I'd do it"

Peggy had already made her mind up, but she showed her appreciation for his advice by the smile she put on her face. She squeezed his right arm that was folded with his left as she turned her head back to Maria "I'll do it"

"I can't wait to see the look on those council's smug little faces when you prove them wrong" Tony stated as he took Pepper's hand to walk out of the board room as the tension was over, as they began to walk out, he pointed at Peggy with his free hand and said with a cocky smirk and said "Do us proud, Carter"

"I'll do my best"

"Hey you could always show them how you can do one hundred and seven one arm push ups"

Peggy tilted her head "How did you-"

"Like I said, dad liked to talk"

Natasha then held up her hands and sat up in her chair "Well he didn't talk to me, what's this story?"

_"Come on Steve, come join us!" Bucky pleaded Steve into trying to join him and the rest of the commandos to a one arm push up contest. Steve laughed and stated "I have an advantage"_

_"Don't be show sure of yourself, punk, I could still take you" Bucky stated back with a cheeky yet confident grin on his face. Bucky was always one to beat Steve in a contest when they were little, he would love to beat Bucky just this once. Steve slapped his hand on Bucky's shoulder and motioned his other arm forward "Show me the way then"_

_"That's what I'm talking about man" Bucky beamed as he put his arm around Steve and walked him over to where the rest of the commandos. He was then surprised to see Peggy stood with Dugan and the rest of the men._

_"Peggy?"_

_Peggy looked up and was also surprised to see him, she didn't think that Bucky would actually convince him to go for it since Steve wasn't a huge fan of competing. And Steve also thought the same about her, she wasn't usually the one to get involved in the 'who's the strongest man' contest. Or in this case, the strongest man or woman. Peggy smirked and then looked to Bucky "So you are as convincing as you state you are"_

_Bucky walked right over to her and whispered, almost trying to seduce her once again "Still can't convince you on that dance though huh?" Bucky knew that something was going on between Steve and Peggy, he was simply just teasing her because he knew they had feelings feelings for each other. Peggy simply rolled her eyes at him and turned to what Dugan was saying_

_"Okay, Stark is going to count us"_

_Howard stood with his arms crossed and his cocky little smirk plastered across his face._

_Bucky, Dugan, Steve, Peggy and two other of the commandos, Sam and Pinkerton got into their press up positions, with one arm behind their back. Sam was out after only 20 and insisted he was better with two hands. Pinkerton was then out after 30 and found no excuse. Bucky was next at a rather impressive 80. His competitive side makes me more determined. He would have lasted longer if it wasn't for the cramp her got in his arm. Dugan turned to Peggy and said with a heavy breath "You're doing good, Carter"_

_"No so bad yourself, Timothy" Peggy huffed back, then glancing at Steve to see how he was doing. He was hardly even breaking a sweat which wasn't at all surprising. Peggy, more than Steve was astonished when Dugan was the next to fall. He was one of the strongest men in the whole army base and he didn't have any dose of serum inside it, although you would think he did. Peggy looked to Steve, as he then did the same "You getting tired?" Steve asked with a laugh._

_"Now that would be telling"_

_She was. Her arm felt like it was going to fall off. Peggy knew that she was going to lose to Steve because. It was Steve. Captain America. The super soldier. He was built to succeed. And it would be no surprise to any man to see a woman fail to a man. But Steve looked at Peggy and realised that he would have lost to her by now if he didn't have the serum. She would have proven these men wrong by now, so why not let her still do it? Steve purposely began to shake his arm, to make it seem like he was struggling. Bucky furrowed his as he saw Steve begin to struggle. It got to 104 push ups and Steve all of a sudden came crashing down. All the guys looked at each other in complete shock. Peggy licked her bottom lip and lasted to 107. And then she dropped. Although the guys were shocked, they were also men who respected Peggy and who had grown a friendship with her. So they obviously cheered for her. Steve stood over her and stared at her for a moment and then held his hand out for her to take to help her back onto her feet._

_"Well done, you are as tough as you look" Steve sheepishly gave her his compliment. Peggy raised her eyebrows and then nodded "Surprised?"_

_"Not in the slightest" Steve muttered to her and then being dragged away by Bucky and the guys to go and see the colonel for their next mission. As Peggy watched Steve walk away, she saw in the corner of her eye Howard stand next to her. She closed her eyes and held her hand up "Save it, I already know"_

_"That he let you win"_

_"I told you to save it" Peggy then dropped her hand and turned to look at him. Howard laughed and placed his hand on her shoulder "Don't get mad at him, I don't think he was being patronizing, just think he was being a gentlemen"_

_"Something you know nothing about?" Peggy teased as she then walked away._

_Steve saw Peggy walked through the head quarters and walked over to her, to officially show his congratulations on winning the arm contest._

_"So, congrats on-"_

_"You let me win" Peggy stated, still looking down at the documents on her desk. Steve raised his eyebrows and hitched his breath going to deny it._

_"Don't try, Captain, you're not a very good liar"_

_But he went for it anyway "I don't know what you're talking about, my arm began to hurt"_

_Peggy turned to him and played along for a moment "Really? Does it still hurt"_

_Steve nodded. He was such a liar. Peggy then nodded and out of the blew punched his arm, hardly even at her full power but it still would have hurt. It took Steve over five long seconds to realize that he didn't give hurt reaction because he hardly felt a thing._

_"Ow?" Steve mumbled as a delayed reaction. She did it because she knew his reaction would be exactly that. Nothing at first because it actually didn't hurt him, his arm wasn't sore at all._

_Peggy put a smile on her face to put him at ease to show that she wasn't mad._

_"I...I appreciate you doing that for me, but there's something you should know about me"_

_"Which is?"_

_"I'd rather lose fairly, than win by default" Peggy stated, then looking back down at her documents. And although Steve respected that, he then made his own confession to her "Well the way I saw it, if I was my normal self you would have won"_

_"This is your normal self now Steve, you have stop thinking of this" she paused her sentence as she motioned her hand up and down his body "This is not you, because it is"_

_Peggy placed the documents she needed in her hand and clutched onto them as she held them up to her chest, she looked at him up and down and stated "I'm sure they'll be other times I'll beat you without your help"_

* * *

"And was there?" Clint asked, very intrigued with the story. Peggy glanced to Steve as he then did to her. They both nodded as they look back to Clint.

"What did you?"

"It was about two weeks later, a day before…" Peggy stopped her sentence as she looked to Steve. It was a day before Steve went on that mission that costs Bucky's life. There was a second or two of silence, Steve just gave her a look to say 'it's okay' and rubbed her arm. Natasha, Clint and Maria soon caught on why she stopped her sentence. Peggy then looked back at them and carried on without saying it "Anyway, we had a competition at shooting"

"Believe it or not I actually tried to win that one" Steve muttered to try and hide his embarrassment. Considering he was such a good shot now he hardly wanted people to know he used to be terrible. Even Howard beat him on that one, not by much but still.

* * *

Later on that night, after the team had dinner together and exchanged some laughs over drinks. Steve went to get in the shower as the night was growing later and he liked to get up early in the morning on those guys, they would get drunk and wake up at 2pm everyday if they could. Peggy was much like Steve, maybe it was because they were kindred spirits or maybe it was because they were both actually 96 and 95 years old. Who could tell?

Peggy entered their room and noticed that Steve was in the bathroom. When he walked out, with just his jeans on, he glanced to her before looking back down to the floor as walked over to the desk. She could tell that he was both supportive and worried for her and was debating which emotion he should show.

Peggy walked to behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing the side of her face against his bare back. They were silent for a moment. Peggy brought her head back up and then softly rested her lips against his back and spoke in a mumble "So, are you starting to think you're sleeping with the enemy?" her tone was light to sense an element of humor to her question. Granted, it worked, he had lightened up. But she could still feel that he was tense. He'd seen them train people and it could be brutal if caught off guard.

"I do hope you're not doubting me"

"Of course not...but if the council-"

"If the council don't approve of me for an agent then we will work it out, but if they don't approve of your relationship with me, then...screw them...just try not to overthink it okay, my love?" Peggy then placed light, soft kisses on his back. She ran her hands from his chest to his stomach, squeezing his abs as she did so in order to pull him closer. Peggy made her way to face him and pulled him in for a hot, passionate kiss. Brushing her tongue with his. Her hands traveled down from his shoulders, to his waist. Her fingers ran round his belt to his buckle and slowly began to unbuckle. And clearly that caught his attention.

Steve smirked against her lips. '_Oh_ _hello_' he thought to himself, he then spoke aloud and whispered in a rough tone "Really?" of course he wanted to, he just didn't expect Peggy to be in mood for it so soon. Clearly he was mistaken. Waiting for an answer, they still remained in their hot, passion lip lock.

"Mm hm" Peggy moaned back in his mouth. They pulled apart from each other "What's brought this on?" Steve questioned as he stroked her cheeks.

Peggy scanned his body up and down and then back into his eyes "I don't know it's just the whole thought of our relationship suddenly being considered as some sort of a _forbidden_ one from what the council have portrayed...it's a slight turn on" she seductively whispered, because she knows that would drive me crazy, and then she did what would tip him over the edge and licked her lip.

Steve laughed and groaned "Baby I love it when you do that" Steve roughly kissed her, pressing her against the wall. Taking her by complete surprise by his spontaneous action.

"God, I _love_ it when you call me that" Peggy sighed with pure satisfaction. She ran her tongue across his bottom lip as she reached for the side drawer.

"Kiss my neck" She pleaded as she gripped into the back of his hair, her legs once again wrapped around his waist. Of course he _obeyed_.

Steve could tell by the way Peggy dug her nails in his back, that this time was going to be different from the first.

* * *

**Have some more fondue ;) **

**So do we think Peggy will pass with flying colors? Or could it go wrong in anyway? **

**Btw, I know some of you are curious about Bucky. Bucky will be brought back into it a little further down the line and I'm making a sequel that he will 100% be in, but this is a Steggy central fic and so my key priority is on them getting their lives back on track together :) Thanks guys! **


	26. Chapter 26

Two days past. And Peggy was more than ready for this training day. Truth be told, she was going stir crazy again. Not just because she was in the tower. But because she was in the tower doing nothing. She wanted to work. She loved to work. The only fraction of work she even got in this almost month of being here was Maria sliding her some documents to help her with on the sly. And that. That was the most exhilarating part of her life for this past month. Well, apart from the sex that is. She had no complaints in the region. But still, Peggy wanted to work. She needed to work and she'd prefer it to be for shield. It's the only line of work she'd ever known and loved. If not this then what? Working at some sort of department store? Exactly. Not a chance in hell.

Steve drove her to the shield training base that was just out of the city, with Natasha and Sam in the back.

"All I'm saying is you can't go for a normal job if they don't get you for this"

"And why is that?"

"Because people know about you and Steve and it'll get all fame driven" Steve and Peggy looked to each other, Peggy was then to look at Natasha as Steve obviously had to keep his eyes on the road. "They know?"

Natasha slowly nodded and held her hands up "You got papped"

"Mm hm" Sam added with a nod. Both clearly assuming that Peggy understood the term.

"Papped?" Peggy questioned, obviously not understanding the term.

"It means someone got a picture of us, most likely when we went on our date"

Natasha nodded and then stated "Oddly enough it was when you guys were coming back from your date, probably some of guys that wait outside near the tower took the shot"

"People wait outside the building? Who?"

Natasha shrugged and laughed "Fans"

Natasha then went on her phone and got up the column from the magazine that had the picture on. Peggy took the phone and scanned through it. The picture was of Steve and Peggy getting out of the car. Peggy with Steve's jacket wrapped around her. His arm over her shoulder, her hand locked with that hand. It was so dark that it would have been hard to notice the spies hiding in the dark. She remembered that they did see a flash go off but, they thought one of the street lights blew out or something.

Peggy's eyebrows raised as she saw the title **Sorry ladies, it seems America's lush hunk hero is no longer a free man!**

"So you're lush and a hunk according to the media"

She saw the confident little smirk on Steve's face grow in the corner of her eyes "Easy, Captain, don't let it go to your pretty little blonde head"

Peggy then handed the phone back to Natasha "I don't how this whole media thing works, will this be a...what did you call something the other day, Steven?"

"A hit" Steve nodded. He introduced her to the world of Youtube not too long ago. It went from all their songs straight to the Surprised Kitty video. Which led to them both wondering how they got there.

"Right. That" Peggy nodded, looking back to Natasha.

"That was very amusing, you're so old...anyway it's most likely it'll go bigger because of who you are"

Sam then nodded in agreement and added to Natasha "Don't forget you've got your little section in Cap's museum thing"

That didn't even hit Steve or Peggy till now. Obviously people would know that Steve had a new woman in his life. But it won't long for some people to realise who it is and for that news to spread like wildfire.

"Oh yeah I didn't think about that" Steve mumbled, he glanced to Peggy and chuckled "Don't worry about it, baby, Stark deals with the media all the time and the way he does it is by ignoring it, so that's what we should do"

That actually made a lot of sense.

Half an hour later they reached the training base.

Natasha and Sam got out and walked ahead of Steve and Peggy to give the other agents a heads up. Steve opened the door for Peggy, like the pure gentlemen he is. He closed the door and put his hands on her waist, pressing her lightly against the door and looked into her eyes "You ready for this? It won't be easy"

"It was never easy for me" Peggy stated, with her hands placed onto his that were still lay on her waist "But I still got through it, and I intend to again"

And this is one of the many things that Steve admires about Peggy. She doesn't back out when things get tough, she doesn't take the easy path. She takes the path that will get her to where she wants to be. At least she doesn't stress smoke anymore. During the war, Steve would find her at her desk with the occasional cigarette in her mouth when things were getting really rough.

"I have all my faith in you" Steve smirked and moved in to kiss her again. But instead of meeting her lips. He met the palm of her hand. Steve opened his eyes to see her amused smirk behind her raised hand. She slowly dropped it and whispered with a giggle "We're on working grounds, be professional, Captain"

Steve lifted his head back up and laughed as he glanced to the floor, he looked back at her with his ocean deep blue eyes and muttered "Yes ma'am"

Peggy couldn't tell if he was being witty or making fun of her. Either way she gave him a light slap on the chest and walked in front of him into the building. They were 'greeted' by Nick as they walked into the building.

Nick nodded with his hands firmly behind his back "Captain, Miss Carter, how are you both?"

"Take a wild-"

"We're good" Peggy interrupted Steve, lightly placed her hand on his stomach as if to show him that he should not be making this more difficult than it already is. Peggy looked back to Nick and took her hand off Steve, placing it over her other.

Maria soon came over with a gym bag in her hand, she handed the bag to Peggy and stated softly "This is your training gear, would you like me to show you the changing room?"

Peggy nodded and looked to Steve "I'll be right outside" he whispered, reassuring a sense of security. She trusted Maria but the rest of the agents? Not so much. She didn't know them.

Peggy walked in the changing room. Maria went to follow her in, to talk her through what would happen today. Before she did, Steve lightly grabbed her arm "Just a heads up, she has scars, two on her left arm and a few more on her back...they're light ones but she's self conscious about them right now"

"Steve don't worry, she and I have that in common" Maria informed him with a light tone. She knew that Steve was just trying to look out for Peggy, he wasn't trying to suggest that Maria was the judgemental or staring type.

Maria noticed the scars, but she didn't look at Peggy whilst she was changing. She just spoke to her with her back turned. With Maria talking her through the process, Peggy couldn't decide whether she felt better in knowing what was coming or scared of mucking it all up. But Maria assured her that everyone had faith in her, all the agents were rooting for her even though most of them didn't personally know her. It felt odd yet flattering.

It didn't take long for her to get dressed. When she got outside, Steve was right outside just like he said. Steve couldn't go in the training section with her, he'd have to wait outside and watch her. As well as the rest of them. Steve took Peggy to the door and took her hands.

"You okay?"

"Would you be? It's not the fighting or the gun test its that damn interview, what if they ask me things that I can't remember?"

"Then you tell them and they'll no you're telling the truth"

Peggy took her hands away from his to cover her face, taking deep breaths. She soon felt Steve's strong arms surround her tense body, and she sunk in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist as she buried her face in his chest.

"You have to go in now" Nick's voice was heard, they both looked up to see him stood there. They then both nodded "Yeah, just give us a minute" Steve mumbled. Nick soon went away, from the guilt he was feeling, he gave them another minute.

"Steve you should-"

She was stopped as Steve cupped her face and softly pressed his lips against hers. She knew that she told him to be professional whilst on working grounds but she actually needed that right now.

He detached his lips, but his hands remained on her cheeks "I was going to say you should go but, that works too" Peggy mumbled, her sentence finishing in a light laugh.

She looked back into his eyes. And he could see the worried lost little girl eyes that he hadn't seen in a while, she was going to be feel vulnerable and pathetic, that she has to go through this after all the work she has done for this organisation in the past. She was more confident before she entered the building, now that she's here it's hitting her.

Steve wiped away her frightened tear the ran down her cheek "You've got this, they don't want to hurt you, that's not what we do here...but don't let them go too far, they can have a habit of doing that"

"Where will you be?"

"Just over there, by the window"

Peggy nodded and took a deep breath. Her brave face soon began to show. She was beginning to get confident and to believe in herself. Peggy brought Steve's face close to hers and placed a kiss on his cheek "It takes a lot to break me" she whispered.

"Now go" Peggy added, pulling his hands softly off her and taking a step back. She was ready, and she didn't want the chance to over think anything. Right now she was in the zone, and she wanted to keep it that way. And looking at Steve for much longer would mean she thought how scared she was to lose this, because a part of her thinks she could lose him in the process if shield take some kind of lawful action if they think she is a traitor. Steve squeezed her hand one more time and then walked away to stand with Natasha, Sam and Maria.

Peggy took another deep breath. She thought of who she needed to do this for. She needed to beat these allegations to have a peaceful life with Steve. To go and see Angie every week without worrying about what might happen. To be able to talk about her past without being doubted. To be trusted. To be respected. To be the agent she once was.

She entered the room and looked at the two male agents stood in front of her. She stared at them for a moment.

"Well, gentlemen, shall we get started?"

* * *

**Go Peggy! Do you guys think she'll pass the test?**

**Please leave comments below**


	27. Chapter 27

The first task up, was the shooting test. As they watched her gear her gun up perfectly. Natasha glanced to Steve's hand that was gripped on the window bar. Very tightly.

"Ease up, Rogers else you'll break the damn thing"

Steve looked down at his hand and didn't even notice until now that he was gripping on it so tightly. He eased up and took a deep breath through his nose as he kept his eyes fixed on Peggy. She seemed calm, focused. And she was. She looked at the cardboard cutout target man and raised her gun extremely fast. And shot at it just as quick. Would you'd have guessed it, she got the target right in the head. 4 times in the exact same place. It certainly took the agents examining her by surprise.

And those on the outside view.

"She's good" Natasha stated with a slight sense of shock in her tone. She heard that Peggy was good but she didn't think that good.

Steve, with his eyes still fixed to her then replied "Always has been"

The examiners wanted to test Peggy, so they gave her a Commando Assault Rifle. A gun that was not much more advanced than anything Peggy had worked with. A pistol was simple, easy. She wasn't aware that the range of guns had widened and were more complicated

"Whoa, they've given her a gun beyond her years? Isn't that unfair?" Maria muttered to anyone that was listening.

"She'll figure it out" Steve nodded, refusing to doubt her. Peggy stared at the gun for a moment. Peggy saw in the corner of her eye, her examiners look to each other, as if to say 'told you she couldn't do it'

Yes, she was used to people underestimating her. And yes, she does get a thrill in proving them wrong. Every. Single. Time

The examiners were getting ready to fail her when all of a sudden they heard fast clicks and out of no-where shots fired at a frequent and fast speed. They jumped out their skin when they looked to Peggy, who now had her gun lowered. She took a deep breath and then gently threw the gun to the floor.

"Anything else?"

She walked away to reveal the target cardboard head was now on the floor. Leaving the examiners to hear the laughter of Steve, Natasha, Maria and Sam come from outside because of how stupid they looked.

* * *

Peggy passed the shooting test with flying colours, that was no lie to be seen. Next was the fighting test. First off, Peggy had to simply show her techniques on a dummy. Her techniques were swift, nothing dirty about the way she used her ways to fight. They were effective yet clean. Peggy showed her punches more than her kicks. She rarely kicks in a fight unless it is totally necessary.

That little task was simple enough, it was just like some kind of warm up. It was no lie that Peggy was used to fighting men, the only woman she's ever really gone up against was Dottie. But rarely against women. So she wasn't surprised when the examiners sent in a man for Peggy to go up against. She glanced to the window where Steve stood and raised her eyebrows to him, as if to say 'oh how typical'

Steve laughed, shaking his head he mouthed "Show them what you're made of"

_Captain's orders._

Before they fought, Peggy held out her hand to be shook. Agent Jones looked at her hand and looked at her, surprised. But a good kind of surprised. He nodded as a sign of gratitude for her being so civilised. He didn't even want to do this. A: Because he was scared he might hurt a woman, which he has never done before in his life and B: He knew A wasn't going to happen and Peggy was going to kick his ass.

Fighting against an actual human being really showed off what Peggy could do. The poor guy didn't stand a chance. He threw the first punch that she quickly dodged, grabbed his arm and flipped him over onto the floor. It's a good job there was a mat. Else that would have hurt like a bitch. But he obviously didn't go down after one take down, he got back up and tried again. And again. And again. And again. She was quick, tactical. It was safe to say she knew what she was doing, how to dodge, throwing a punch. To block. She'd give half the people in this whole organisation a run for their money.

Watching her in action, Natasha then noticed something "She fights like you"

She turned her head when she saw Steve shake his head the corner of her eyes

"No, no..._I_ fight like _her_"

"She taught you how to fight?"

"How to fight, how to shoot a gun, how to hold my shield in the proper way for getting in a fight..._everything_" he spoke with such pride. He was proud that he was taught all those things by her. He was proud that he had someone to guide him like her. He was proud of her. They looked back to see Agent Jones once again on the floor. Peggy suddenly stopped, she saw that this guy had-had enough. She reached her arm out for him to take and pulled him up.

"What are you doing?" One of the examiner asked. Peggy turned to him and shrugged "I think I have proven enough that I can handle myself in a fight, with all the counts you've taken of this agent falling on the floor, but I will not beat him black and blue for simply volunteering to do this task, or being made to do it. He isn't a Hydra agent, and I know what it's like to be treated like one. It's best saving energy for real the Hydra threats, not the pretend ones"

She couldn't read the examiners faces from what she said. They were rather stone cold throughout the whole process. Peggy turned and once again shook Jones' hand. He leaned forward slightly and muttered "They may have marked you down for that"

Peggy shrugged and sighed "If they did, it'll be a mark down for a straight A record. I still have a big chance at passing, don't worry" she nodded with a confidence being shown in her stance and hand shake.

"That's my girl" Steve whispered to himself, deep down he knew she would do that. Because she knew Agent Jones was innocent, and regardless of the situation, she didn't have it in her to really hurt an innocent person.

* * *

As the exam room was setting up for the interview process. Peggy was allowed a break, to get a refreshment and see her friends, but mostly Steve. When she got outside, the first person to be greeted by was Natasha "You're kicking ass in there, Carter, better than I handled it anyway" she said with a smile.

"Thank you, Natasha, it's helpful knowing that it's looking good on the outside"

"It is, just remember what we've said about this next bit, stay calm, make it look like they aren't getting to you, even if they are a little, try not to show it. That's the key"

"I'll keep it in mind, thank you"

"Sure-"

"Nat, you got a quarter?" Sam called from the vending machine, then putting a thumbs up to Peggy and then called to her "You're smashing it!"

"Thank you!" she called back. As Natasha walked over to Sam, Peggy walked over to Steve who was sat at one of the tables with a bottle of water in his hand. As she got over to him, he held the bottle out for her, Peggy took the water and sat down on his lap. Wrapping her free arm around him as she had her bottle of water gripped in her other hand.

"I'm proud of you, for everything you've done but especially for what you just did"

"You don't think it was...stupid?"

"Hell no, it's showing them that you're standing by your morals"

"Mm...you got a cigarette?"

"No" Steve laughed loudly, he kissed the back of her neck and then added "Didn't I mention to you that they found out they're really bad for you?"

"Really? Well that's disappointing" she muttered as she took a sip from the water. She could really use on right now. No more stress smoking for her.

She had to use something else to calm her down, so Peggy did what she loves best and kissed Steve lightly on the lips. Steve smirked and mumbled "What was that for?"

Now, Peggy could have gone with the classic 'just because I love you' speech. But honestly, she loved to joke and tease with him. She shrugged and said "You're like my own personal brand of nicotine"

"Is that just your way of saying I de-stress you?"

Damn. He made into the classic loving thing. How the hell does he do that? Before Peggy could make a response, she grinned lovingly

"Time to go back in" Peggy and Steve both looked back to Maria, you could tell that she hated the fact that she even interrupted them.

"Seriously? She's been out here for like a minute-"

"Steve" Peggy smiled with a giggled "Don't be so dramatic, the quicker I get in there, the quicker I can come back out and we can go home"

Steve sighed, she won. Again. As usual.

"Okay, I'll see you in a minute then" Steve kissed Peggy's cheek, and did so for the entire time of lifting her up and back onto her feet. Peggy ran her hands down his jacket, savering him. She finally met her eyes with him and gave him a little wink. Then entering back into the examining room.

Peggy sat down, she was wired up to the lie detector test. And faced the serious faced Agent Susan Thompson. Thompson. Peggy tilted her head and stared at her. The long dirty blonde, the bone structure. But most of all the eyes. This woman was either Agent Jack Thompsons granddaughter, or great granddaughter. Or maybe she was wrong...maybe she was the niece.

Before she could even question any of it. They began with the questions.

"Let's start simple, your name is Margaret Carter, born nineteen ninteen"

"Yes"

"You worked for the SSR for how many years?"

"Eight years"

Peggy was calm. She felt in control. But Agent Thompson had barely touched the ground yet.

"What was your relationship with Captain Steve Rogers during the war?"

"I was...I was his _support_" When Susan looked down at the detector, she was surprised to see that the machine picked up no flicker of a nerve rising. Peggy was still being honest and calm.

"Is that all?"

Peggy stared at Thompson and stated "I loved him, yes, but our relationship during the war never...escalated"

It wasn't just the machine that could tell if Peggy would be lying. Susan Thompson was one of Shields human lie detectors, she is sent in to interrogate people from her psychological degree. She could smell liars out from miles away.

Although Thompson was one of the agents who found Steve and Peggy's history rather tragic, she showed no sympathy. She couldn't.

"Were you aware of what you were doing whilst with Hydra?"

"I was under a sense of mind control, so no"

"But you do remember what happened?"

"Partly" Peggy's tone was becoming more bitter. She was becoming more uncomfortable as she knew that it was about to get darker.

"Elaborate?"

"I relived memories, of my time in the Hydra base in my dreams"

Thompson looked back down at the machine. Still. She was telling the truth. But Susan knew that Peggy was getting more tense with it all. But she couldn't take it easy on her. The council could get her fired for that.

"It's hard for us here, Peggy, we seem to know all your background...but what you're giving us is things we already really knew, how well do you really know Steve Rogers? Make us see that you aren't some robot"

Peggy stared at Susan and raised her eyebrows "You think I don't know Steve? Tell me, Agent Thompson, do you know what his favourite colour is? Because I do, it's ocean blue. Do you know his favourite singer? It's Bing Crosby. Favourite drink is bourbon even though he can't get drunk from it he loves the warmth that goes through him…" Peggy then looked to Steve, he saw the tears that were in his eyes "You want to know something about Steve? He's the _best_ thing that ever happened to me...now would a carbon copy from Hydra admit that to you the way I am right now?"

It took Susan Thompson by surprise. Hell it even caught her off guard, a lot. It shook her, she hardly wanted to carry on.

And Peggy could tell. Susan looked at her in a way to ask 'don't hate me' for having to ask what she was going to ask.

This question was a way of the council to see if Peggy would crack under such a deep meaning.

Shield were informed by Steve through Peggy weeks ago that she was under the acknowledgement that Bucky was back under Hydra control as she told Steve what she remembered.

"Did you sacrifice Bucky Barnes in order to escape? Whilst he was being tortured you snuck out to kill Steve Rogers, did you sacrifice him?"

Steve, hearing this. Couldn't believe what he heard "No, that's enough!" Steve went to go open the door but stopped, as he saw Peggy's right hand rise to him. Halting him. She looked at him with a stern look 'this is my fight' she was telling him. And he backed down.

Peggy looked at Susan and gulped heavily "From what I can remember from my dreams, Sergeant...Bucky, was caught out by Hydra, from remembering who he was. I was still under the Hydra's...spell I guess you could call it. I was not aware of what they were doing to him, that version of me, was under the influence that he was being tested, and yes...I went out to...to kill Steve. But...it wasn't me, I felt myself fighting against what I was doing as he spoke to me. I did not sacrifice Bucky Barnes, and if I could remember where Hydra was holding him, I'd be right by Steve's side in aid to rescue him" Peggy then took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. She pulled a tiresome shrug and looked up to the ceiling for a moment.

"I want to be _Agent_ Peggy Carter again, but...I want to be respected, trusted, I refuse to be a lab rat to be tested on so shield know how Hydra do what they do...and if that is what they want from me then I will not do it...I'd rather swallow pride than blood"

She was done. And so was Thompson. When Thompson called the interview to be over, she looked to Peggy and shrugged "I'm-"

"Was Jack your grandfather?"

She stopped and stared at Peggy, slowly she nodded. Peggy pulled a half smile and stated "How you handled that then, would have made him very proud. Jack was always good at that" as much as she despised Jack sometimes. She liked him on the odd occasion and had to give it to him. He was damn good at his job. Susan smiled and gave a grateful nod along with a whispered thank you. The door opened. Peggy's head snapped to it, she ripped the wires off and stood up, clashing her body tightly into Steve's.

Steve cupped Peggy's face and whispered "I'm so proud of you, baby, you handled it so well" Peggy smiled as Steve wiped her tears, she pressed her lips onto his.

"By the way" Steve said as their lips pulled apart. He looked at her and smiled "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me too"

Peggy smiled and tightly pulled him in for a sweet, loving embrace.

And then. Was pulled away.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Steve yelled as Peggy was grabbed by one of the agents. He gripped onto her hand, but had to let go as it was handcuffed. Susan sighed and stated "The council want her under custody, whilst they decide what to do"

Peggy looked to Steve "Can they do that?"

"You're a suspect" Maria shrugged as she stood next to Steve. Almost hating all of this as much as him. Whilst Natasha and Sam were outside. Sam having to restrain Natasha from doing anything stupid. Peggy had become a very close friend. And Natasha protects her _family_.

Steve cupped Peggy's face again "Don't worry, I'll fix this, I'll get you out"

He quickly kissed her on the forehead as she was taken away. Her eyes fixed to him the whole time, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I love you" she mouthed. Before Steve could say it back. She was taken away.

Steve's fist clenched as well as his jaw "Steve...Steve don't-" Maria didn't finish her sentence as the interview table did in fact go flying across the room.

"This wasn't part of the deal! Where's Nick!"

"Nick, didn't know about it either, it's the council" Maria stated, putting her hands on his chest to stop him from raging all through the base.

Maria then added "But Steve, if the council don't pass her they won't just drop her"

Steve looked to Maria, his eyebrows furrowed "What are you saying, Maria?"

"If she fails...she goes to jail"

* * *

**Please don't hate me haha! Poor Peggy! She's gone through a lot. **

**I know it looks like the council are be assholes but let's face it, they are. **

**So what do we think will happen?**

**leave reviews below. **


	28. Chapter 28

_Peggy quietly walked through the SSR headquarters. The war was coming to an end. Their job here was finally over, but the price they had to pay in losing Steve almost seemed...not worth it. Especially to Peggy, she had hardly spoken to anybody since Steve crashed the plane. Playing those last words she exchanged with Steve over and over again. Thinking what she could of said, and that would haunt her for the rest of her days._

_Her head was kept down as she walked. Until she heard Phillips and Howard bickering over what to do with 'his things' and by 'his' Peggy knew it was Steve. She looked up and saw them throwing some of his belongings in a bin. Shocked by what she was seeing, Peggy slowly walked away to the open door office, she lent against the frame and stared at the trash can that had some of Steve's things, including his brown leather jacket. It was tattered from when he went to rescue Bucky and the rest of the 107th, he tried to repair it as best as he could. But stitching was not his specialty. Howard and Phillip's soon looked up to see Peggy, and the look on her face._

_Howard sighed, feels very guilty. This looked bad. "Aw jeez, Peg we-"_

_"Two days" she cut him off sharply. Not even looking at Howard, she had tears in her eyes. Peggy gulped heavily and then spoke sharply once again "Two days he's been gone, and already you're throwing his stuff away like he was never here...like he never even mattered"_

_"Carter, that's not the case" Phillips spoke up in a softer tone. He knew how hard all of this was for her._

_"It's not that we didn't care about your feelings, it's the fact that we did that we didn't ask you to do this"_

_Peggy breath felt as if it had gotten caught in her throat "It's not just the fact that you didn't ask me it's…" her eyes flew back to his things. Some of the things weren't even seen as important. But now that's he's gone. They were._

_Peggy walked over to his things, took hold tightly on his leather jacket. This 'stuff'. Was all she had left of him. But, she knew she couldn't keep hold of everything he had. All that was really here was his boots, some other pieces of clothing. She did notice his sketchbook though, she wanted-she needed to keep hold of that. She lightly picked up the sketchbook and the jacket. Her eyes met Howards. She saw how guilty he looked, but right now, she didn't even care._

_Howard sighed and lightly shook his head "This won't bring him back, by holding on to his things"_

_"I'm well aware this won't bring him back. I'm not doing this to to try and save his memory...I'm doing this to cherish his memory" Peggy left the room before she cried in front of them._

_It took two minutes for Howard to go after her. She locked herself in one of the office rooms. One of the SSR agents saw her go in and she hasn't come out. Howard stood by the door, with hesitation at first he eventually knocked on the door._

_"Peg? It's Howard"_

_On the other side of the door, was Peggy. Sat against the door. Knees up to her chest, with Steve's leather jacket on. She didn't even know why she put it on, it was just an instinct. Like when he used to put his jacket on her when they walked together if it was cold. It still smelt like him. As for his sketchbook. She hadn't took her eyes off it, from his dancing monkey sketch to sketches of his uniform ideas. To sketches of her that she didn't even know he did. There was one where she remembered being with him at the time. They were laughing together, hence her smile in the sketch. _

_"Go away"_

_"I just want to talk"_

_"Well I don't"_

_Howard sighed with a sense of defeat. But, he wasn't giving up. Howard slid his back down the door and sat against it. Peggy and Howard never really talked about Steve together. He was always there, and even when Howard mentioned Steve to Peggy it was either about their work or him just dropping teasing hints. Howard rubbed the palm of his hands together "I ship out to look for the tesseract tomorrow...I'll be looking for him too"_

_There was no reply, he just heard the sniffles from her tears. Howard wanted Peggy to know how much she meant to Steve. Which was everything._

_"You know" he started his sentence with a light laugh "Whenever I was with him when you weren't there, he would always ask after you, asking if you were okay or where you were. All he wanted to do was see you, I think you were the one thing in his now crazy world that still made sense to him, he always recommended you on missions"_

_Although Peggy was silent, on the other side of the door she was smiling, but still silently crying._

_"He even called you his best girl once" Howard laughed again, remembering how Steve went red as soon as he said it "When he realised I heard, he then realised that he said it out loud when he was only meant to think it"_

_Howard then heard a little laugh. And it went silent again._

_"You didn't tell him, did you?"_

_Peggy brought her head up from her knees, her face scrunched up and said with an exhausted sigh "What?"_

_"Steve. You never told him that you love him...did you?"_

_Peggy was taken by surprise. Howard knew? How did he know?_

_"Howard...you-"_

_"He loved you" Peggy face scrunched up again, but this time to try and stop herself from crying, she lent her head against the door again "He loved you, Peggy" Howard repeated._

_Peggy covered her face with her right hand and took a deep breath. Hearing those words struck a core. She had never said it out loud. But she was about to._

_"I…" the words got stuck in her throat "I love him"_

_It hurt. Like a knife to the heart. It hurt because she didn't admit it to Steve. And now she never could._

_Howard slowly nodded, knowing that although it hurts, it would have felt good in way to get that off her chest. Peggy couldn't hold her emotions back any longer. They were together for four years, they were each other's better half. Howard then heard loud, painful sobs come from the other side of the door. And that hurt him. Although he flirted insanely with her and teased her, she was his best friend._

_"Oh, Peg" Howard stood back up as he then heard movement from the room. The door then slowly opened. Peggy was now in his vision. She was a mess, the tears wouldn't stop. Howard had never seen her like this before. Howard pulled his hands out of his pockets and tilted his head, he held out his arms for her. Peggy hesitated at first but she really needed someone to hold her. She lightly placed Steve's book on the side and sunk into his embrace. And cried._

_"I've lost him Howard" she tightened her grip around him "He's left me and took my heart with him"_

_Howard kissed her head and then placed his hand on her soft brown hair and mumbled the only words that he could say to her right now "I'm so sorry"_

Peggy wiped away her tears as she tried to shake the memory away. She had been in the small padded wall cell for over three hours, her eyes remained shut. Even when she heard the doors open to her cell door. She knew it wasn't Steve from the sound of heeled shoes.

"I am not going through another interrogation" Peggy tiredly snarled.

"Good, because I'm not here to give you one" The woman's voice was not familiar to Peggy. Eventually she opened her eyes to a blonde woman stood in front of her. About the same height as Peggy. Peggy looked at the woman and raised her eyebrows "No?"

The woman pulled a small, familiar smile. Familiar, yet Peggy couldn't put her finger on what made it so familiar. The young woman then sat on the end of Peggy's bed, she looked at Peggy and sighed. She wasn't surprised that the role of who she was went a miss for Steve to inform Peggy by "Captain Rogers didn't tell you about me, did he?"

Peggy looked at the woman up and down, and without trying to sound rude, Peggy shrugged "Should he have?"

"Well that depends...my father was called Harrison" Peggy's eyes met Sharon's again "Harrison? But that….John's baby" Peggy eventually found John's wife and her baby in London. Sarah gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, Harrison. Now she understood why that smile was so familiar. John.

Sharon slowly nodded "I'm Sharon, your-"

"Niece" Peggy smiled. Sharon nodded, then a smile catching on her face. Peggy felt a tear fall down her cheek, she laughed and wiped it away "Sorry, I don't know why I'm crying….I suppose it's just, apart from Steve I thought I had no family left….your father, is he?"

Sharon shrugged "Apart from the bad hip, he's doing fine, him and my mum live just outside the city, you'll have to visit sometime"

Peggy nodded. Sharon realised that she was getting off the subject "I am sorry about what the council are putting you through, I hate it. Growing up with my grandma telling me all the amazing stories about you got me into this job...but anyway, take this" Sharon held out a mobile phone.

Peggy looked at her, confused "I'm allowed a phone?"

"No, but sometimes you have to bend the rules...it's got Steve's number in there, call him" Sharon placed the phone into Peggy, holding onto her hand for a moment more she added "He's waiting for your call" Sharon stood up and walked back to outside her cell. On guard whilst Peggy spoke to Steve.

The phone barely even rang, Steve answered straight away "Peggy!"

"Hello, darling" Peggy forced on a smile as she spoke. She was damn happy to hear his voice, but that doesn't overshadow how she was feeling at this moment in time.

"It's so good to hear your voice, how are you?"

"As well as can be expected" Peggy sighed as she placed her head into her hand. She gulped heavily and then added "I'm tired, Steve"

"Well, it may be hard but try and get some sleep? I'll have you out of there-"

"I don't mean I'm sleep tired...I mean I'm tired. I've been physically and mentally drained these past few weeks, and to be locked away when I...when I have not done anything truly wrong makes me feel so worthless. And why is it always like this for us?"

She heard Steve's voice became more strained, more worried "Like what?"

Peggy felt herself beginning to cry again "We've always been like parallel lines, you and I...always close but never together, we've only just reached being _really_ together and look what happened because of what we do, we've been ripped apart _again_...I can't do this, I can't be the agent I once was"

It was silent for a moment, Steve was stuck on the other side of the phone. Stuck on what to say. How to respond to what she said. The silence was almost deafening. Peggy felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She had hurt him. It wasn't her intention, she was just saying how she felt. She wasn't exactly in a optimistic state of mind.

Peggy took a deep breath, to try and stop her tears. She hit the palm of her hand against her forehead and rested her head on her knees "Sweetheart I'm sorry" Peggy whispered over the phone "I'm so sorry"

The cell door opened again. But once again Peggy didn't look up. Until she felt _his_ hand caress her cheek. Then she quickly looked up to see Steve's watery blue eyes. He was on his knees, to be on her level from being sat on the bed.

When she saw how her words had struck a core, and made Steve cry. She damned herself.

But all Steve said was "It's okay"

Steve lightly pressed his lips on Peggy's. Peggy could have stayed in the moment forever. Regardless of the situation. It all seems a blur whenever he kissed her.

Steve embraced her tightly. He then cupped her face and kissed her cheek that had her tears running down it.

"We _were_ like that, but not anymore, this isn't us being afraid to admit our feelings Peggy, we are together, properly this time. And you're not done at this. If not this place then the CIA, FBI, you cannot give up at being an agent because you're amazing at it, and I'm not going to let you give this up"

And she knew that he was right. Peggy was just overwhelmed and exhausted after everything that had happened. She knew she wasn't going to give this up. It wasn't in her nature.

Peggy nodded as Steve wiped away her bitter tears. She opened her eyes and pleaded "Don't leave me, I really need you here with me"

Steve put on a warm smile to hide his fear that things might not be okay. He nodded "Of course"

"Will they allow you?"

"I don't care what they will or will not allow"

And _finally_. A smile. Though it was a small, still rather saddened one. It was a smile nonetheless. Peggy moved for Steve to join her on the bed, he lay in the corner and held Peggy in his arms Steve saw Sharon peep her head in, when she saw them two. Sharon nodded, as a way to say that she'll leave them. And she won't tell people Steve was still in her cell.

When the cell door closed, Steve, still stroking Peggy's hair said "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Sharon, it just...slipped my mind"

"It's okay, I understand" And she did.

It was silent for a moment. Steve thought Peggy had drifted off to sleep. But really she was just thinking. Over thinking in fact.

"Steve...what if they-"

"Shh" he soothingly stopped her sentence. He knew she was getting sleepy by him stroking her hair, he discovered all those years ago that it was usually the thing that got her to sleep, he did it only once. After John died he comforted her in her room to try and stop her crying. And even now she felt herself slowly drifting "Just try and get some sleep" he whispered softly. Peggy smiled as her eyes began to drop more.

She relaxed, head rested against his chest. Steve was about to get some sleep too.

"I want to marry you"

Steve opened his eyes again when he heard Peggy say those words. His heart was pounding, his breathing got slightly heavier. Did that really just happen?

Steve gulped heavily "You do?...Peg?"

But when he looked down. He saw that Peggy was out like a light. Steve didn't wake her, he let her sleep. But he would now sit there for a good while, not being able to get those words out of his head.

* * *

**Whoaaa what did Peggy just say? She wants to marry little Rogers! How do you think Steve will handle it?**

**And do you think the council will accept Peggy or not? **


	29. Chapter 29

Two hours later.

"Rogers" Nick nudged Steve to wake him up as it became known that Sharon had snuck Steve into Peggy's cell. Well, Nick actually found out about ten minutes ago, but even he wasn't that cruel as to drag Steve by the ear. Also, it was doubtful he could manage that. Steve slowly opened his eyes, his arms were still locked around Peggy. And she was still asleep.

"Wake her up, then come outside" Nick was always hard to read. So Steve couldn't tell by his tone if what he was going to tell them on the outside of the cell was going to be good news or bad. Steve rubbed Peggy's arms "Peg" he mumbled as his mouth was already close to her ear. He kissed the side of her face, lightly. And mumbled again "Peg, you gotta wake up, Fury wants us outside" Peggy opened her eyes and sat up, she turned to him with a concerned look on her face "Did he say?"

Steve shook his head and sighed "No, no he didn't. But he'll tell us now...you ready?"

"No" Peggy said with a light laugh "But then again I don't that I'll ever feel ready for something as life changing as this could be"

Steve stuck his tongue out in his cheek out and pulled a small smile. Peggy was still nervous, that was clear. But she wasn't feeling as _depressed_.

They stood up. But before they went out, Steve subtly asked "Do you remember what we talked about before you went asleep, like what you said?"

Peggy looked at him, with a little smirk and raised eyebrows, her eyes went to the ceiling for a moment, she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and blew an exhausted raspberry. She shrugged as she looked back down to him "I was going to ask you something, about the council and then you shut me up"

Steve saw the look on her face and figured that she didn't remember saying what she said right before she went to sleep. And he didn't blame her, he's done it many times. You can't always remember everything when you're practically asleep.

"Why was there something else?"

Steve looked back to Peggy and shook his head and then laughed "No, no, just wanted to make sure you're still not panicking that's all"

Peggy squeezed Steve's hand with a grateful smile and then walked out. Steve closed the cell door and stood closely to Peggy as they faced Nick. Nick stood before them with his hands behind his back. The tension was killing them.

"Can we please cut the suspense?" Peggy sharply requested.

"The council _have_ made their decision" Nick answered back quickly.

Y'know in every tv show when a dramatic moment happens and you hear that one big drum beat to add the suspense that little bit more? Well, this was the drum beat moment. And both Steve and Peggy heard it in their heads. But, Nick was used to being dramatic. It comes with the eye patch.

"Peggy Carter"

Nick cleared his throat and then held out his hand.

"Welcome to shield" Peggy stared at his hand, not really feeling like it was real or...legit? She looked back to him in the eyes "Are you serious?"

Nick nodded "Quite. And the council would like to apologise for their...behavior, but you proved yourself to be trustworthy...unless you don't want the job"

"No I do, I really do" Peggy laughed, shaking his head. She would have said to Nick to thank the council for her but honestly? She didn't want to thank them after what they put her through. Nick nodded as he dropped his hand back down to his side. Peggy heard a huge sigh of relief coming from Steve, she looked at him to see bright and now relaxed smile. He took a tight grip onto her hand.

"Yes well, you'll be filled in on your role for us when you get home"

"When do I start?"

"Tomorrow. We'll see you here eight am sharp. Both of you"

Steve and Peggy nodded at their orders. When Nick had his back turned and was out of sight. Peggy and Steve looked at each other and tried to hide their grins. Steve laughed and teased "Well I hate to say I told you so"

"You bloody love it" Peggy whispered as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck as his flew to around her waist. Steve snugged his head under her neck and whispered "I never doubted you" Steve kissed her neck and then looked back to her and gave her a peck on the lips.

"Thank you"

Steve put Peggy down, back on her own two feet and took her hand, he nodded her head to the door "Come on, we've got a gift for you"

Steve began to walk her out to the door, Peggy then stopped them for a moment and raised her eyebrows "We?"

Steve looked to her and smiled with warmth "Your new family"

And by that. He of course meant the team.

* * *

The team were waiting for Peggy. They all got the news straight away.

"You all realise that we're going to have a married couple on our team, right?" Tony said as he filled up his glass of whiskey.

"Oh yeah, because we've not had that before with Clint and I, and are you forgetting your _much_ better half?" Natasha laughed as she looked to Pepper who was stood beside her. Pepper raised her eyebrows and smirked as she then looked back to Tony.

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head "No, but we are different. Those two are forties born"

"So?" Natasha shrugged.

"He means they are going to be the typical 'old fashioned couple'" Pepper translated Tony's language to the rest of them "What's your point, Tony"

Tony stopped himself taking a sip of his drink and thought for a moment. He then shrugged his shoulders "Nothing, just trying to prepare myself for all the 'darlings' and 'sweethearts' we're going to here whilst on a mission"

Clint then stood up and wrapped his arms around Natasha's waist "Well, if you want we can throw those pet names out there too"

"No we can't" Natasha laughed as she took another sip of her drink.

Steve and Peggy were in the elevator. To go up to the floor where the rest of them were. And although Steve seemed happy, he also seemed distracted. Peggy looked at him and slid her hand in his "Darling?"

"Hm?" Steve came back to reality from still playing Peggy's words in his head. He looked at her and smiled "Sorry, I was day dreaming"

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know" she said with a laugh and a light shrug "You just seem like something is bothering you"

"No, nothing is bothering me, I'm just thinking"

Peggy scanned his face, trying to read him "About?"

'Think, Steve, think' he thought to himself.

"I want to marry you"

No. Not that. Steve cleared his throat and shrugged, he then leaned down slightly and scooped her close to him by the waist, and said with their lips almost touching "About how we can celebrate tonight"

Peggy smirked and Steve pressed his lips against her. The didn't even hear the elevator doors open.

"Whoa, grandma and grandpa are making out in front of us okay who else is scared for life?"

Tony stated as he raised his hand. Making Clint, Sam and Bruce quietly chuckle whilst Nat, Pepper and Maria rolled their eyes. But deep down did find it rather amusing. Peggy and Steve laughed as they pulled away from each other.

"Welcome home" Pepper said as she pulled Peggy in a warm embrace "Thank you, certainly is a relief like you wouldn't believe" Peggy smiled. She exchanged hugs with the rest of them.

When she reached Tony, she raised her eyebrows to him "Are you not the embracing type?"

"Well, I could be it just makes me look-"

"Caring?" Peggy teased, Tony looked at her with an amused face "You are your father's son indeed" and she meant that. She didn't see Howard be a cold man to his son. She just remembered him as that lovable idiot that got her into trouble like some annoying little brother.

"Alright, one off" Tony mumbled, he gave her a friendly yet brief hug.

"Hey Cap" Tony called to Steve as he walked further towards him "You told her about the little gift we've got her?"

Steve nodded "Yes, haven't said what it is but yeah"

"Come on, Carter" Tony nodded Peggy to follow him. All of them did, because they were all in on it. Peggy stood behind them all and held out her head for Steve as he walked over from the couch, Steve flew his arm around her shoulder, he kissed the top of her head "You're going to love it...hopefully"

"Could you give me a clue as to what it is?"

"It's for work. I didn't mean that in a boring way" Steve laughed. Peggy lent her head against him and put her hand on his stomach as they followed the team. They went through the weapons room and in the door that was in the room. Peggy had never been in there before, she wasn't even entirely sure what it was that was in there. She looked at what seemed like a wardrobe. There were five of them. All with initials on them.

It didn't take long her to figure them out.

**BW - Black Widow**

**HE - Hawk Eye**

**IM - Iron Man**

**T - Thor**

**And of course**

**CA - Captain America**

They were the uniforms, for the avengers. Bruce didn't have a wardrobe because, well, he didn't need one. So, Peggy was confused as to why she was coming down this hallway, then, next to Steve's, was the initials

**AC**...which she learned to discover stood for **Agent Carter.**

Peggy looked to Steve, she then looked to all of them "Why do I have a wardrobe in this hallway? I'm not going to…" when she saw all the look on their faces, Peggy raised her eyebrows and pointed to herself. Were they serious? "I am?"

"You've got super soldier serum running through your veins, you're no longer an ordinary agent. So yes you're also needed for the team" Natasha smiled as she gave a light tap on Peggy's arm.

"Open it!" Pepper shook Tony with excitement.

Tony cleared his throat and did a theatrical, dramatic pause. What is it with people and suspension today? The wardrobe door opened.

In Peggy's sight was a navy blue figure cut suit. Tony pulled it out and laid it down on the side, Peggy walked over to it and laid her hands on it. It was the same material as Steve's uniform.

"It's comfortable" Steve stated with an assured nod. It was a V-Neck, like Natasha's, at both side of the suit were blood red medium width stripe. A navy blue leather belt with the shield logo as it's buckle. She then noticed the red white and blue shield patch stitched on the left shoulder. Of course, that was Steve's idea. Steve watched the corners of her lips turn up when she saw it.

"Nice touch" she mumbled to him without looking at him, underneath that was the letter A obviously for Avengers stitched with thickish navy blue thread. Another belt underneath, like Natasha's and Maria's, just to hold her guns and any other weapons.

Finally she had matching colour women's army boots to go with it, that travelled half way up her shin. It was perfect. And the fact that they went to this trouble for her, made her strangely emotional.

"You guys didn't have to go to all this trouble, a shield uniform would have been fine"

"Yeah but they're bor-" Clint stopped his sentence as he saw the glare from Maria in the corner of his eye, Clint cleared his throat and rephrased his sentence "You're not just an agent, no offence Maria"

"That sentence was better than the one you were originally going for, but Barton's got a point" Maria shrugged.

Peggy smiled brightly at them all "Thank you all, very much. It's such a lovely gift and the best way to welcome me to being an agent again"

Later on, to the evening. The team obviously wanted to celebrate, including Steve and Peggy. They slipped on less casual gear but didn't wear anything too fancy. Before Steve and Peggy went to join them, Steve took Peggy back into the weapons room.

"Steven what are we doing in here?"

"You'll see" Steve held his hands up to her, in a request for her to stay put and be patient whilst he went behind the weapons desk. When Peggy tried to lean over to see what he was doing, she was told to back away by his 'ah ah ah' noise. Peggy groaned a sigh and lent back, and waited for him to pop back up. Soon enough he did. With a medium sized briefcase. Peggy raised her eyebrows and looked to him "What is that?"

"This" Steve paused as he flicked open the metal flaps to open it "Is my own gift to you" Steve spun the front of the briefcase round to face Peggy. He then opened the briefcase to show a gun. A silver Desert Eagle gun. It was a fine make of a gun. But it didn't stop there. Peggy picked it up, on one side of the gun, it had in italic font '_Agent. P. Carter'_

"Steve" she gasped, she knows how expensive both the gun and the engraving must have been.

But the surprise still continued as Steve said "Turn it around" Peggy looked to him, surprised. She then did so and saw another engraving of '_Cap's best girl'_

Was it sappy? Yes, it was. But Steve Rogers wrote the book on being sappy. And Peggy loved it, she loved every last bit of it.

"Darling you shouldn't have"

"Yes I should have, cause I love you and I wanted to give you my own congratulations gift, I'm the boyfriend that's my job"

Peggy bit her lip with a grin as she looked back at him from looking at the gun, she placed it down and lightly grabbed his chin, she leaned over the desk and kissed him "I love it" she whispered, then kissing him again she then added "Thank you, I love you"

Peggy then leaned back down and sighed and lent her arms on the desk "God, now a part of me would rather stay in here with _you_" Peggy muttered as she looked down at the desk. Steve caught on to what she meant and got a flush of red along with a scoffing laugh from getting suddenly nervous. Making Peggy smirk and looked up at him without lifting her head up.

"Am I making you nervous at the fact I suggested to do it somewhere that isn't our bed?" Peggy laughed.

Steve rubbed his lips together "Maybe a little"

Peggy giggled once more and tugged his hand before walking over to the door "Come on, soldier, there's a bottle of bourbon with my name on it"

"What about the desk?" Steve teased as he put the gun back in the brief case. Peggy turned to him, with her hand on the handle "The desk will still be here tomorrow"

Steve couldn't tell whether she was joking or not. And to be honest? She didn't really know either.

They made their way downstairs and blended in with their friends.

Steve thought about what he said before. He called himself Peggy's boyfriend. And yes, he was her boyfriend. But a part of him said it to see how she'd react. To see if it would trigger that she said she wanted Steve to be much more than her boyfriend. Why was he overthinking this so much? Of course. This was Steve, amongst writing the book on being sappy he also wrote the book on overthinking. He stared down at his beer as he sat on the couch. He continued to look down on it as Natasha sat down next to him, she nudged him by the shoulder to catch his attention.

"Hey, penny for your thoughts?"

Steve looked to Natasha and shrugged "I'm fine"

"You've seemed distracted ever since you and Peggy came home, sure you plastered on your perfect smile but you still seemed distracted"

Steve rubbed his forehead and sighed "Something happened before"

Natasha's eyebrows pinched together and tilted her head "What?"

Steve cleared his throat and waited for a moment, he looked to Peggy who was talking to Pepper and Tony and subtly motioned his hand to her.

"When I went into her cell, she was all upset and we talked a little. She calmed down and I got on the bed with her and tried to get her to sleep and then she…" Steve looked to Natasha and said with a nervous tone "She said she wants to marry me"

Natasha's eyes widened, her eyebrows raised, she glanced to Peggy and then back to Steve, who gulped down the rest of his beer

"She wants to marry you, that's amazing"

"It would be, problem is...she was practically asleep when she said and doesn't actually remember saying it"

"So you told her she said it?"

"Of course not" Steve shook his head as he looked back at Peggy for a moment "That would just...freak her out I guess, she was so happy about finally being back on the job I didn't want to put this whole thing on her, it would take her mind off what she did for herself today"

Natasha nodded, fully understanding "Well, are you gonna talk to her about it?"

That was something Steve didn't actually know about "I don't know...I-"

They quickly shut up on the subject as Peggy walked over to them, she stood in front of Steve. Inbetween his legs and looked at the two of them "Are you two okay?" she asked with a laugh "You look concerned?"

"We were just discussing...the council aka the assholes" Natasha covered up.

"Well, that name has a certain ring to it" Peggy then made eye contact with Steve and leaned down to cup his face "Don't waste time thinking about them right now, let's just focus on the fact that they've given me my freedom and job" Peggy then laid a passionate kiss on his lips and then said as she took his hands. A familiar song then came on from the playlist Tony told jarvis to put together "Come on, they're playing our song"

Peggy pulled Steve up and walked him over, space for them both to dance. Steve kissed her on the forehead and then leaned his head against hers. She had her head on his chest as they swayed side to side. She also had something on her mind.

She lied to him. She lied to him when she said she didn't remember saying that she wanted to marry him.

* * *

**yay! She passed! And she's part of the avengers and Steve gave her a cute gun, things are looking up!**

**as for Peggy remembering what she said to Steve what do you think she'll do? Talk to him about it or someone else?**

**leave reviews below, thanks guys :)**


	30. Chapter 30

"She said what?" Clint gasped with a tiny laugh. Natasha nodded as she threw him his black vest and shrugged "I'm serious"

"Marriage?" Clint muttered as he put his vest top on, looking back to Natasha. She shrugged and nodded again. Clint and Nat had been together for almost three years now, they got together seven months before the deal with Loki went down. Clint walked over to her and stared down at the gun she was loading, he put his hand on her back and questioned "So, what do _you_ think about the whole marriage thing?"

"In general?"

Clint nodded as he kissed her shoulder. They hadn't really talked about it. Like. Ever. They just live in the moment and don't really think about a detailed future like that, they'll be together till the end of their days that was no doubt. But as for planning a big white wedding? That wasn't really Natasha's thing. But being a hopeless romantic was never Nat's thing. Being in love was never on her list of things she wanted in life. She didn't believe in it till Clint came along. Assigned together in the battles they fought in different countries, highly skilled assassins. Clint was usually a loner and kept his distance as was Natasha. But working together sparked something. Before they knew it, they fell for each other. And they haven't been able to get rid of each other ever since.

"I think it's for some people, if they have it on their list of what they want in life, and yeah it's a nice thing but to people like me, it's not that important"

From Clint's silence, Natasha gathered that Clint was thinking otherwise, she turned her head to look at him "Why don't you think the same?"

"Well...I-"

"Clint?"

"Babe, it's not a big deal" Natasha turned her body to face Clint properly. His hands remained on her waist "Bullshit it is a big deal, you want to get married?"

"No, no...but I always imagined that somewhere down the line we might that's all" Natasha was silent for a moment. She had idea he felt this way. Non at all. And she could tell that he looked rather embarrassed from his small confession. Natasha pulled a small smile and kissed him softly by cupping his face, she then dropped her hands onto his shoulders "Tell you what, I promise that if you ever ask me. I promise I'll say yes"

Clint laughed and nodded "Thank you, that's very generous"

It didn't really put any ideas into his head. They were happy as they were. And marriage wasn't a huge deal for him too, but it's comforting to know that in a few years time. She'll say yes to being his wife.

"Are you going to talk to Steve more about the whole Peggy saying that thing?"

"Yeah, he's kind of thinking about it..._all_ the time" Natasha shrugged "He's gotta speak to someone about it, I just think it should be her"

* * *

Meanwhile. Peggy, now dressed in her uniform (which made her very excited) went in the weapon room and made a phone call.

It rang. And rang. And rang. Just when Peggy was about to hang up

_"Hello"_

"Angie" Peggy smiled as she heard her old friend's voice, finally.

_"Peg! I...ha-sorry, still takes some getting used to, hearing your voice again"_

"It's okay" Peggy laughed as she sat herself on the desk "How are you?"

_"I'm okay, got a bit of a cold but-"_

"Oh Angie I'm sorry, you should get some sleep"

_"Sleep?"_ Angie laughed _"I just woke up Peg, it's half seven in the morning"_

"Right, right" Peggy laughed, but Angie sensed by Peggy's tone that something was on her mind. This wasn't just a social call. This was an 'I need some advice' call. And Angie was always the one that Peggy talked to with her problems, and that won't stop now.

_"What's wrong, English?"_

"Nothing...entirely" Peggy sighed and began to fill in Angie "Remember when I told you that shield that I was some kind of traitor?"

_"Yes"_ Angie said with a bitter tone, just hearing Peggy being accused of something like that makes her blood boil.

"Well, when Steve and I got home, I was told that I was to do a training day. To prove my...innocence, so I went yesterday. Did it, it went rather well...and then they locked up in a cell for hours-"

_"What! Peggy! How could they...are you okay? Did they hurt you?!"_

The corners of Peggy's mouth turned up, she admires the fact that Angie protects her the way she does. But she didn't want Angie to get worked up, Peggy still worries about Angie given her age.

"Darling don't worry, I'm fine...I passed, I start today"

_"That's great! Aw Peg I'm really proud of her you're getting your life back...but...wait why do you have a problem then?"_ Peggy paused for a moment, and just took a minute to think. Was this really a problem? Is this really what she wanted? Deep down? Peggy hadn't really thought about properly herself. Peggy scratched her forehead and sighed "It's...when I was in the cell. I was upset, angry and tired. Just tired from the hell that I have gone through with Hydra and with shield. I felt like I was done, and I told Steve this, he came into the cell and calmed me down. Made me see sense, anyway, we were lay on the bed and I was falling asleep...then I said something to him"

_"What?"_ Angie whispered in a now very intrigued tone.

"I" Peggy choked on her words and then laughed at her shyness "I told him that I want to marry him"

It was silent for a moment. A very brief moment.

_"So...Mrs Captain America. Has a nice ring to it"_

"Very funny" Peggy laughed dryly, still finding it amusing _"Peggy what are you getting worked up about?"_

"Because I said I don't remember saying it, he hasn't told me that he heard it but he's suggested it to try and see if I knew I said it"

_"Okay, do you love him?"_

Peggy laughed. Thinking the answer was clearly obvious. And obviously Angie knew the answer, she was just trying to be all dramatic and have a build up. She's an actress it was her job.

"Of course I love him"

_"And do you want to marry him?"_

"Yes!" Peggy answered back instantly. She then surprised herself, she didn't even think about it. It was like some sort of impulse, a reflex. She heard Angie giggle over the phone _"Then there you go, just admit it to him"_

"We've only been...it's only been just over a month"

_"Peg, you married Steve Rogers the day he jumped on the grenade"_ The fact that Angie wasn't even there and knew that it was that moment that changed everything for her. Peggy smiled at her memory and laughed a little at Angie's comment. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily.

_"Listen here, English, you two waited three years until deciding to be together, then to be torn apart from each other before you got the chance for over seventy years. That should have been it for the two of you, but you've been given a second chance. I see it as a goddamn miracle"_

"Yeah?"

_"Yeah, look, your love life was always...complicated to say the least"_ she laughed lightly_ "Mine was pretty straight forward. But the best piece of advice is the most obvious...talk to him, sit him down and talk about it. I'm not saying it means you have to get engaged, but I think Steve wants to know what it means, the poor man is probably thinking he has to buy you a ring or something"_

That was true. Peggy never even thought of that. Oh god he better _not_ buy a ring..._yet_.

"Okay, I will, thank you Angie. I just needed to get this advice from you. You are who I've always gone to before"

Peggy didn't know it. But over the phone, Angie was both smiling and crying. Because Peggy was one day going to have to get a best friend that she could talk to about anything, every woman needs a friend to share secrets with about your boyfriend. It's natural. And by listening to what Peggy told her. It seems the person that will be next, is Natasha. And Angie was okay with that, she was okay with letting Peggy go. It's a weird feeling, she couldn't let Peggy go when she thought she was dead. But now that she knows that Peggy is alive and well. She'll finally be able to let go.

_"I know, Peg, I know...and it's okay, I'll still be here for as long as I can"_

"Angie…don't" Peggy knew it was the truth, she wasn't stupid. Angie is coming to the end of her life and that could not be avoided. But Peggy didn't want to think about it.

_"Well...anyway, good luck with work today. And good luck with Steve"_

"Thank you"

_"Promise you'll visit me soon?"_

"Yes, Ange, I promise, you'll see me within a few days, okay?"

_"Okay, goodbye for now, Peggy"_ Angie said before letting out a small cough. Even a little cough had Peggy worried, but she smiled through it and nodded "Goodbye"

As Peggy hung up, Steve popped his head through the door and smiled. Not knowing what she was doing in here, he thought she was just getting her gun, but when he saw it still closed in it's box. He wondered why she was in here for so long. Peggy smiled lovingly to him as he shut the door and began to walk over to her "What're you doin'? You've been in here for a while"

"Just, gathering my thoughts" she muttered as she slid her hands down his arms. Admiring her_ dance partner_ in his uniform.

"You don't have to worry about today. I know after all the council put you through may make you think that the people at shield will treat you with doubt. But everyone there respects you and were backing you up, besides, you've got me, Nat, Clint, Maria….everyone" Steve's sentence ended with a whisper as he pressed his lips lightly on Peggy's. Only intending for the kiss to be quick, but as he pulled back. Peggy pulled him back in. She giggled as she did so. Her legs loosely hooked around his waist as he pulled her body closer.

"Okay...okay time out before" Peggy breathed heavily as she took her lips off his.

"I was going to take you up on that desk _offer_ from last night"

Peggy laughed loudly as she lent her forehead against his chest "Oh baby" she smirked as she pushed Steve back slightly so she could slide off the desk to stand on her own two feet. With her hand still on his chest she said with eyebrows raised "You'll know when _that_ offer comes up again" Peggy grabbed her gun and slid in her her belt.

Steve chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and walked towards the door with her, never letting go.

Before she opened the door, she turned and looked at him for a moment. Now? _You're going to do this now Peggy?_ she thought to herself. It's like word vomit. You can't help sometimes but just throw up the words you're thinking

"Steve about-"

"Thank you" Steve said straight away. Not even noticing that she was trying to say something. Peggy stopped herself from her sentence and looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed from not following "What?"

The word vomit was also on Steve's behalf too. It was little moments that he just had with her then that made him want to say what he was going to tell her "Thank you, for making me happy again"

"Steve?" Peggy gasped, her eyes suddenly beginning to fill up. Natasha told her what Steve was like before Peggy was both back in the picture and back to being herself. She told her that Steve hardly ever smiled. He was sad. Like a glass half empty. And it hurt Peggy. But hearing Steve also, in his own way admit to Peggy that what Nat told him was just as painful as she said. Now that killed her.

"I wasn't happy, in fact I was _miserable_, I was empty inside. I lost everyone I loved, I lost you and Bucky and...I know the thing with Bucky is still a work in progress but he's here...and to have you...you with me. In my arms when I go to sleep and working by your side again it's made me so happy, so thank you"

God. She _does_ want to marry him.

Peggy grinned, she even bit her lip to try and hide her big smile and laughed a little. Not at him, but at what she was thinking. Steve tilted his head "What?" he nervously laughed.

"You don't realise how happy you actually make me do you? It's adorable"

Steve laughed and kissed her again. It was his only way to really give a come back when he can't come up with a verbal one. Peggy then opened the door and then said to him "And thank you"

"For what?" Steve scoffed.

"Everything you said. I felt too"

She stared at his 'i'm so happy I could burst' smile and whispered with a sigh "God I can't believe how much I bloody love you"

Peggy shrugged and began to walk down the hall, Steve chuckled again and then put his arm around her shoulder.

"Come on, Agent Carter, we've got work to do"

Peggy realised that she discuss something as huge as marriage just like she was going to. She would do it properly. And she would talk about it with him. Tonight. But now, Peggy Carter is going back to work.

* * *

**Little bit of Clintasha to start the chapter off :) so yeah just a filler chapter, I missed Angie so I wanted to bring her in, even if it was just a phone call.**

**More steggy fluff! **

**I'm hoping to be doing more frequent updates! **


	31. Chapter 31

"What's going on Peggy?" Steve laughed nervously as he walked into the dining room. It was just the two of them, candle lit in the table, it was nice. Lovely. But Steve didn't understand why she was going to all this trouble. He had on black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black thick cardigan. He wasn't sure about cardigans at first, but when Peggy bought him one they surprisingly suited him. Peggy was a flowery red dress that went just half way shown her legs.

"Just sit down" She laughed.

A steak meal later and Steve almost forgot that he wanted to know the reason for her going to all this trouble "Is this the part where you break up with me" Steve joked, almost making Peggy's wine spill out of her mouth "No, no" Peggy assured him with an amused tone as she put her wine down and then taking his hand.

"I have to tell you something"

He didn't know why but the first thing that flew into his head was that she was pregnant. He didn't even consider the fact that she'd had two glasses of wine. But he didn't speak out his jumping to assumptions. He just said simply "Okay?"

"Remember when you asked me if I remember our conversation before I fell asleep?"

Steve cleared his throat and nodded "Yeah?"

"Well, I wasn't entirely honest with you...I do remember what I said to you"

"About...you wanting to-"

"Marry you, yeah" Peggy slowly finished his sentence, her nerves were slowly building up. Steve's eyebrows pinched together as he then became a little confused, and she could tell by his face that she didn't understand why she would hide that from him.

"I know I should have told you. To be honest I don't know why I denied it"

"You panicked" Steve looked back to her, his face now relaxed. He wasn't mad. He understood, Peggy tilted her head, still with guilt on her face she sighed "Yes, I suppose...and I'm sorry I didn't tell you"

"Peg it's fine, honestly it is, and you didn't have to go to this much trouble to just tell me this...unless you're planning on proposing" he teased as he raised his eyebrow.

"No" Peggy laughed and then joked back "I just really wanted a steak"

Steve laughed and kissed her hand, her then held it with both his hands and spoke as he looked down at her hand, which he then realised was her wedding ring hand. Ironic.

"Look, I get that you panicked. To be honest, I did a little too, but only because I want to know where we stand...I mean I'm really happy with you"

"And I'm happy with you...and I do want to marry you, I do. Just...don't at the same time"

"So, you want to marry me but you don't want to marry me?"

Well when he put it like that. It did sound both confusing and a little stupid. But Peggy knew what she meant "Look it's hard to explain"

"I get it. I get it"

He didn't.

* * *

Weeks past. The team was moving in closer on finding Bucky. They had gone to different Hydra bases. Both in and out of the country, so far they hadn't found him. Peggy remembers him vaguely from her memories at her time in hydra, but she can't remember enough to know where the base was that he was being held in. And even though they were in the same base, the team traveled to all the other bases outside of the country in case they moved him during the time Peggy was with Steve and the team.

They had a new lead. Budapest.

As for the marriage thing? Steve still didn't understand why Peggy both wants and does not want to marry him, he still didn't how it made sense. They spoke a little bit more about it that night but nothing was really concluded. Not on Steve's point anyway, he's a man. He over thinks. Well, he's Steve. He over thinks. Peggy on the other hand didn't think about it after that night. She thought everything was fine.

"Ah Budapest, just like old times" Natasha sighed fondly, looking out the car window.

"Seriously what do you remember from here?" Clint glanced to her, then keeping his eyes back on the road. They were in a modern army jeep, on their way to the next hydra base. Steve and Peggy in the back with Sam and Maria. Maria rarely comes out on missions like this but with Bruce being held up in his lab and Tony being in DC with Pepper for her birthday, she volunteered to come along and help them out.

They pulled up, down the road of the hydra base. It was a quiet atmosphere. Chillingly quiet. It was far away from the big city. It was in the middle of no-where. The six of them stepped out of the car, guns and arrows loaded.

Cap obviously gave out the orders. Nat would go scope the perimeter. Maria would enter through the back, Sam would go with Steve. Straight through the front. And Peggy would go with Clint by checking around the building, covering Sam and Steve.

"Got it?"

They all nodded. Clint squeezed Nat's hand, which was there way of saying 'good luck' and 'i love you'

Steve went to go with Sam when he was pulled back with a 'hey' from Peggy along with a tug at his arm. Steve plastered on a smile "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Steve…"

"Honest, I'm good"

Peggy stared at him, not buying it. But Steve just chuckled lightly and whispered "Don't worry, honey, I'll see you in a minute"

Before she could argue against him, going to say that she's not worried that he'll get hurt. Because she knows he'll be fine. He walked away with Sam. It was his slight distance that was worrying her. Why was he being blunt and distant? Did she say something to make him mad? He's been like this for a while now, at first it was nothing but then he just became more driven into his work. They still had their moments and their fun times together. But it was like something suddenly hit him. Peggy groaned and turned to Clint, who looked at her with his eyebrows raised "You okay?"

"I don't know" Peggy rolled her eyes, she patted him on the back as she walked in front of him. With their weapons up and looking around for any hydra agents sneaking around.

"You and Steve going through something?"

"According to him we are"

Clint glanced to her and suggested "You think it's about the marriage thing?"

Peggy's jaw slightly dropped. The marriage thing. No...it couldn't be, could it?"

"That was weeks ago, he's over it"

"Maybe not, Steve over thinks things, maybe he's just started to think about it properly" Clint shrugged, he thought what he was saying would probably be utter crap. But he couldn't be more on the ball.

* * *

"You're mad at her?"

"No, no I'm not mad I'm...frustrated" Steve yelled over knocking out a hydra soldier. As he fell to the floor, another ran towards Steve. And ended on the floor himself as Steve flipped him over his shoulder, knocking him out with his boot, Steve shrugged to Sam "She doesn't seem to care"

Sam sighed and then knocked out his opponent, he looked to Steve and laughed "Yeah, you're life must suck 'oh no, a beautiful women wants to spend the rest of her life to me-"

"But does she?" Steve pointed to Sam as he launched his shield to the three men running towards them, knocking them all down "If she does then why won't she consider marriage?"

Sam shrugged "I don't know! Do I look like a chick? Don't ask me ask your girl" Sam slapped Steve on the soldier as he picked up Steve's shield and threw it back to him.

They then heard a constant noise on the floor above them, gunshot after gunshot. Who the hell was up there?

_"Anyone! I need help back here!"_ Natasha pleaded over the phone _"Seriously guys these assholes are not stopping with these bullets!"_

_"Where are you?"_ Peggy answered Natasha's prayers _"The second floor"_

Peggy looked to Clint, he nodded to her "Go help her, there's not much going on out here anyway" Clint motioned his bow to only three men lying on the floor.

"I'll go see if Maria or Steve and Sam wants help"

Peggy went round the back and made her way to the second floor. The second floor had all their computers, all their documents. It could be a gold mine if they find the right thing. As soon as the eight hydra agents saw Peggy, half of them immediately started shooting at her. Peggy dropped herself down behind computer desk, she looked over the room to see Natasha, also behind a desk.

"They can be taken down now" Natasha mouthed. She debated attempting to take all them out on her own, but if she takes down one she could easily have been taken down by another. Always a good thing to have back up.

Peggy jumped over the desk, shot one down and wrapped her arm tightly around another ones neck, not killing him but making him pass out. Natasha then stood up and took them on with Peggy. One by one they fell, Peggy looked up to see a tear in Natasha's suit. Peggy ran over to her, she hadn't been shot. She was cut, whether it was deep or not, Peggy couldn't tell properly with all the blood, all she knew was that it 'hurt like a bitch'

"We're clear on second floor, Nat's been cut but she's okay"

_"Yeah it's clear down here too. Not to sound disappointed but it was a little calm today"_ Maria sighed. Making the rest of them be rather amused in agreement.

Natasha shook it off and insisted she was fine, the two of them made it over to the computers. Peggy was a rookie when it came to computers. She also had no clue how to hack into any kind of documents. But luckily Natasha did. Peggy just watched. It wasn't long till the rest of them were up on the floor with them. With a concerned Clint making his way over to Natasha. Maria took over. He looked at her cut, he wiped the blood away with his thumb to see if the cut would need stitches.

"Pouring some alcohol on it would do" Natasha mumbled with an amused tone. Trying to hide the fact that it hurt like hell. Sam pulled on a dead hydra agents shirt and ripped some off, he passed it over to Clint "Just so it stays a clean wound"

"Thanks, man" Clint gave a grateful smile as he took the ripped fabric off of Sam and tightly wrapping it around Nat "Ow, jesus Clint" she hissed

"Sorry" Clint whispered.

"Oh!" Maria clapped her hands together making the rest of them jump "What?" they all said at once. Maria smirked and didn't answer them straight away, instead she pressed print.

"Maria?" Peggy nudged Maria on the back to try and get the answer out of her. Maria turned to them and said with a little smirk "We won't have to get on a plane for a while"

"Why?" Steve crossed his arms and leaned in slightly.

"Because we've been going to different countries because we haven't got all the hydra bases in our very own country, right?"

They all nodded.

"Well, thanks to this data we now have every hydra base laid out for us on a map in the US of A"

A smile caught on all of their faces. This made everything a lot easier, now maybe they could save Bucky. Get him away from the evil scum that put him and Peggy through hell for all these years.

"We'll start in New York, there's four which is surprising, seems like a lot"

"They're like rats, they're everywhere" Peggy sighed

"Plus they have little bases to make things more difficult for us" Steve added on. Maria grabbed the map of slipped it into her back pocket "It may not be Barnes himself but this is getting us even closer, won't be long till we get him"

They all nodded at Maria's words. It was silent for a moment, Peggy looked to Steve, his eyes met her for a moment before clearing his throat and looking away to Clint "So, we leave tomorrow, you said we have a place to stay"

"Yeah, a friend of mine owed me and Nat a favor for the last time we were here. He's a big property owner and is giving us one of his homes for the night" Clint nodded as they all started to walk out of the building. Leaving all the either unconscious or dead hydra agents to be found by more hydra scum.

"Is it small?" Peggy raised an eyebrow

"Depends if you class a three bedroom two bathroom house small"

"Whoa wait, three bedrooms?" Maria raised her concern whereas Sam looked to Steve and slapped his chest "Alright, I'm sleeping with Maria"

He then had a finger pointed in his face "Don't even think about it, Wilson" Maria warned him. Sure she was scary. But she was sexy. Sam liked women who had a front.

Sam then heard Clint and Nat laughing, she shook her head "Don't worry Maria, you two will be in the kids room, two single beds"

"Kids room?" Sam frowned. He then looked to Steve who had an amused smirk on his face, Sam rolled his eyes and punched Steve's shoulder "Shut up, man"

* * *

The car ride wasn't too long. They were done for today, they could relax. Natasha put on the music and they filled up the car ride with laughter. But Peggy and Steve zoned out for a moment, she started to question him. With their fingers entwined, Steve kissed her neck. But that didn't stop her from checking up on him "Steve, are we okay?"

He looked at her in the eyes and shrugged "Why wouldn't we be?"

"I don't know...I feel like you're-"

"Have I upset you?"

"No...the question is have I upset you?"

Steve went to open his mouth to answer her when

"Cap! We're here!" Maria knocked on the window next to him, making Steve and Peggy come back to earth realising that everyone had gotten out of the truck. They both sighed, Peggy took her legs off of his as he took his hand off her thigh,

"We'll talk later, okay?" Steve kissed her forehead and got out of the truck. Peggy sat there for a moment and mumbled "Okay"

* * *

They spent the rest of their night swapping tales over drinks. Steve and the rest of them went and asked Natasha and Clint what happened last time they were in Budapest. After they told them, it left with Sam, Maria, Steve and Peggy all staring at them with their eyes wide and jaws dropped. Clint and Natasha looked like it was literally nothing.

"Wait so then you guys went?" Sam pointed to them, with Clint and Natasha nodding as an answer.

"And then you blew it up?" Peggy asked with her head pushed forward as she became more intrigued. Clint and Natasha once again nodded as an answer. They all sat back in their chairs and mumbled "Wow"

Steve and Peggy were on one couch together, Clint and Natasha on the other facing them whilst Maria and Sam were sat next to Clint and Natasha. It was a bigger sofa.

They all took a drink from their beers and got on to a totally different subject.

"Maria, you got a man in your life?"

Maria raised an eyebrow to Clint and laughed "Other than Fury?"

Sam spat his drink out whilst the rest of them burst out laughing. Maria then just shook her head "No, I haven't. Right now my work takes over my personal life"

"Sometimes they can merge" Nat stated as she stroked the back of Clint's neck.

"Yeah, with who?"

Nat raised an eyebrow. Thinking it was fairly obvious "Err, me and Clint, Tony and Pepper, Bruce and Betty and who could forget grandma and grandpa over there" she motioned over to Steve and Peggy with her bottle in her hand.

"Yeah shame most grandma and grandpas would be married" Steve muttered as he took a sip from his bottle of beer. Peggy raised her eyebrows and looked at him "Are you serious?" she laughed in disbelief.

"What?" Steve looked to her, shrugging his shoulders. Peggy scoffed and looked to Clint, who just had an awkward look on his face "Well, you were right"

"You've been discussing it? Wonderful" Steve chuckled as he shook his head.

"Oh so you were allowed to talk to it about Nat but I'm not to Clint?"

The rest of them remained silent. This was Steve and Peggy's first argument. And it was purely because they had gotten their wires crossed. And Peggy didn't want to do this in front of them, Peggy stood up and tugged the shoulder of his shirt "Bedroom. Now"

She walked away and out of the room. Steve sighed and put his beer on the table. He stood up and looked to the rest of them. It was silent for a moment.

"Probably the only time you don't want to follow Peggy into the bedroom huh?" Sam laughed.

But now wasn't really the time for his humor. Although the did laugh quietly once Steve had left the room.

* * *

Steve shut the door behind him, Peggy had her back to him for a second before she spun around to him, pointing to him she said with a strained tone "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"With me?" Steve looked at her with a confused look on his face.

"Do you see anyone else in this room?"

Steve sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Peggy hitched her breath trying to not get too mad at him, but it was hard. He was stressing her out big time.

"You've been distant for a while now, this past week it's like I've hardly seen you….and it's about the marriage thing isn't it?"

He stayed silent. Which didn't help. At all. "Steve we talked about this weeks ago, why are you all of a sudden being...harsh about it now?"

"Because it's only now that I've been really thought about it" Steve shrugged as he walked past her and looked outside the window.

"What is there to think about?"

"You say one thing to me and then mean another, you say you want to marry me but then say that you don't"

"No I didn't say that I...Steve do you even listen to me"

"The fact that you even ask that is insulting"

"Why are you being like this? Did you expect me to start looking through bridal magazines or something? And don't act like you had any interest in marrying me until I said those words"

Steve then snapped at her "I have! I thought about it every day during the war! When you came into the bar, when you comforted me for losing Buck and when you kissed me! I never stopped thinking about, Peggy"

"And I was left behind to have those memories haunt me for the rest of my life!"

Steve dropped his arms down to his side and shook his head. Peggy rubbed her forehead and ran ran her hands through her hair, she dropped her hands to her hips. She took a breather. Before they said something they'd regret. She got back onto the subject. "I never said I didn't want to marry you, I meant I wasn't ready...shame on me for being honest"

"Yeah well shame on me for wanting you to be my wife" Steve muttered as he looked down at the floor. He knew that Peggy was staring at him, but he wasn't ready to see her sad brown eyes. He soon saw her shoes right in front of his. He then felt her hands on his chest, and her lips on his forehead.

"Please, don't say that" she whispered

Steve lifted his head and asked "Why do I screw things up with you? I have you. That makes me the luckiest guy alive and yet I'm still screwing it all up like always"

"You don't" Peggy shook her head.

Steve gulped heavily and looked at her, the tears the filled her eyes up. And tried to stop his own. He nodded "Look at me, I panic when I think about the fact that you might not want to marry me, I'm like some insecure teenager, thinking that it means you don't want me"

"I'm always going to want you. To be my friend, to be my guidance and one day to be my husband, I just meant that marriage is not the best option right now, and I mean having an actual wedding. We haven't found Bucky and it wouldn't feel right planning something as big as this when he's still out there and you know it"

And he did know it "I do. I know it. And because I didn't think about it before I almost screwed up again"

"You never screwed up"

"All those times I should have kissed you-"

"Kiss me now" Steve put his right hand on her back and his left on the back of her head, pulling her in for a passionate, emotional kiss. Tears running down both their cheeks. When she felt his tear hit her hand from cupping her face, she pulled away from him "Why are you crying?" Steve looked down at the floor again "I just realized why I got worked up about the marriage thing"

"Tell me" Peggy requested as she ran her hand through his hair.

"I guess...I...I thought that being married will pull us closer, and that would mean it would be harder to lose you"

"Baby" Peggy cried as she lent her forehead against his. His logic made sense in some way, she understood why he would get to that. They say marriage is a bond stronger than anything. You can't be torn apart. But to be honest, Peggy didn't think their bond could be any stronger.

"I know. It's stupid"

"No it's not stupid, I understand" Peggy nuzzled her head into his neck and wrapped her arms around him.

"I get scared about stuff like that too"

Steve tightened his grip around her, there was a long pause before he tried to lose the tension "You do realize this is our first _real_ argument?"

"How's it going for you?" Peggy laughed lightly.

"Honestly, I'm just glad you didn't storm out of the door"

Peggy kissed Steve on his jaw and whispered "I'd never walk out on you"

Peggy then stayed in their embrace as she thought about something for a moment. She really thought about, she thought that what she was about to say to him was something that she would really want.

_"Listen here, English, you two waiting four years until deciding to be together, then to be torn apart from each other for over seventy years. That should have been it for the two of you, but you've been given a second chance. I see it as a goddamn miracle"_

And she did. Thank you Angie.

"Steve" Peggy pulled back and looked into his now dry eyes.

"Peggy"

"You want to buy me a ring? Buy me a ring"

Steve couldn't hide his grin. They went from yelling at each other to being...engaged? Is this what was happening? "Are you serious?"

"Well the way I see it. We aren't ready to plan a wedding yet or to be husband and wife _yet_...but that doesn't mean I can't be your fiance"

Steve laughed. He couldn't quite believe his luck right now, as far as first real arguments go. This was the best one ever.

"But I have a request" Peggy held her finger out to stop him from kissing her.

"What?"

"We keep this under wraps for a while, until this whole thing blows over and we get your best friend back and we can tell everyone then"

"That's fine with me" Steve nodded. And it did seem like the best thing. He knew they would get Bucky back. Deep down he knows he'll get him back. And in an ideal world, the real Bucky will come back with him and he'll marry his best girl, with his best friend by his side.

"I love you _so_ much, _god_ I love you" Peggy whispered as she kissed him over and over again.

"I love you too, _so_ much"

Everything turned into a blur. The whole world. Steve didn't see or hear anything else other than her. After 73 long years, Peggy Carter had agreed to make their commitment an official thing. They've been through their fair share of shit, pain, drama. They've had a lot of peoples fair share of that. But they have also had a kind of love that could only happen once in a life time.

Though not his wife yet. She was his finance.

Now all he needed was a damn ring.

* * *

**Okay this may be my favorite chapter that I've wrote because of obvious reasons. It was all rather emotional!**

**ENGAGED ENGAGED ENGAGED.**

**I had to do it. I took the shot. **

**Do you guys think they'll be able to keep it a secret! And what next do you think is install?**

**Please leave reviews. Also, thank you to everyone who has given me all the brilliant feedback on both this site and other ones, it means a lot to me :)**


	32. Chapter 32

Two days later. Steve and Peggy were back in New York and they didn't stop working since. They tried to be careful with how they are going to handle taking through the hydra bases. They don't want hydra to move Bucky when they go from base to base. It could push them further away. Instead of bashing into the bases. They took a step back to think things through.

Later on, in the afternoon. Peggy went on her break. She and Natasha were working all day in the Avengers tower, trying to connect the dots from what Peggy could remember to the most likely base that Bucky was being kept at. Peggy could remember what was inside, but the hard thing was remembering the building surroundings. It was like a blur to her though, and she couldn't figure out why. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. So Nat told her to get some space.

Steve just got back from shield from having his meeting with Fury about what happened in Budapest and where they are taking things from there. Natasha told him that Peggy was in their quarters and was rather tense. He had something that would cheer her up.

Slowly he opened the door to see Peggy pacing up and down the room with a glass of brandy in her hand.

"Hey baby?" Steve entered the room, not really sure why she was so...pacey.

"Hi, sweetheart" she muttered as she rubbed her forehead, she glanced to Steve, she saw the look on his face and tried to assure him "I'm fine"

"Baby you're pacing" Steve laughed as he motioned his hands to her "All you need now is a cigarette and it'll be 1944 all over again"

"Do you have one?" Peggy stopped her pacing and looked to him. Steve laughed and shook his head "Sorry"

Peggy drank her brandy and then carried on pacing, tapping her glass with her index finger. Steve smiled at her and then put his hand in his jacket pocket "Although I have got something else that might take away your stress"

In the corner of her eye, Peggy saw Steve pull out a little black box. She stopped pacing. She stared at it "Is _that_?"

"Mm hm" Steve nodded as he looked down to the box, he looked back up to her. He looked at her eyes glued to the box and wiggled it "Do you want it?"

Peggy couldn't take her eyes off the box. She wanted to see what it looked like. What did it look like?!

"That's like asking Clint if he likes arrows" Peggy quickly stated, motioned her hands to herself to tell Steve to come over to her. Now, Peggy wasn't one to fawn over jewelry, but when it was a shiny engagement ring, Peggy melted. Like every normal woman would. Steve slowly walked over to her and went to open the box before she stopped him "What are you doing?"

Steve raised an eyebrow "I was going to open the box to show you the ring but now I'm not so sure"

Peggy stared at him and then smiled with an amused little laugh "Steve, tell me, did your parents ever tell you how the proposal went?"

"Yeah? My mom did once"

"And do you recall your mother saying your father _stood up_ when he proposed?"

Steve looked at Peggy with a smirk as she reflected the same look back.

"My apologies" Steve then cleared his throat and slowly got down on one knee.

Butterflies were going crazy in the pit of both of their stomachs. There was a difference between just discussing it and now actually doing it the right way. Steve hadn't actually thought this through, he hadn't thought was he would actually say. He just went with his heart.

"Peggy, I have been in love with you for _literally_ a life time. And I thought I'd never get the chance to ever do this with you, ever after...well y'know. I know there's no-one else I'll ever want to spend my life with...and I will spend the rest of my life to make you happy, I need to make you happy. I'm a better soldier, a better _man_ with you. And I can't ever imagine my life without you being in it. I love you...will you marry me?"

Steve opened the box to show a Tiffany Grace Princess Cut engagement ring. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. It must have cost a lot of money. Peggy then looked at him, with tears in her eyes, she took a deep breath with her smile from ear to ear. He really took her breath away. She didn't expect him to say something as wonderful as that.

"Yes of course I will"

Steve smiled brightly and stood back up, slipping the ring on her finger. Peggy bit her lip as she looked at him, with her smile still showing. Her heart was still beating so fast. It suddenly felt so real. She jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Kissing him. They laughed.

Peggy wouldn't wear the ring yet. But for now, it was just the two of them. Steve walked over to the couch and lay over her, kissing her neck and cheek and lips. His hand went under the back of her shirt Well. Clearly this was going to go somewhere "Do we have time?" Peggy whispered in between their hot lip lock.

"We'll make time. After all, we're celebrating" Steve chuckled then making her giggle.

* * *

A little while later, Steve and Peggy made their way back downstairs to the computer room where she left Nat. Natasha raised her eyebrow "Oh hi, nice of you to come back"

"Sorry Nat, Steve was-"

"De-stressing you, I know I _heard_"

She then looked back to Steve and Peggy staring at her with their eyes wide and eyebrows raised. Natasha nodded "Yeah. I went upstairs about five minutes ago to go see how long you guys are gonna be...I heard your answers"

"Jesus christ" Peggy mumbled with a laugh. Steve tried to stop his laughing as he pressed his lips against her left temple. He kissed her cheek and looked to Natasha "Sorry, Nat"

"I'm just thankful you've brought back a less _stressed_ and more _satisfied_ Peggy to work with"

"Yes well, Steve you should get going, Sam wants you I believe" Peggy looked to Steve, patting his chest lightly.

"Yeah I better go meet him, good look ladies" he then leaned close to Peggy's ear and whispered "Don't stress about it, I'm thankful and proud for everything you've already done to help"

Peggy gave a grateful smile "Thank you" she gave him a light, quick kiss again and then he left.

Peggy sat back down next to Natasha. They had been at work for a good few hours now.

Natasha slid Peggy a mug of tea as she drank her coffee.

"So, you and Cap seem to be on _very_ good terms now consider how pissed you were in Budapest"

"We're much better now. We're back to normal, better than that perhaps"

"Wow, what did he do to get back in your good books?"

_"You want to buy me ring? Buy me a ring"_

Peggy smirked subtly and sighed with a shrug "It was both of our faults really, we didn't communicate properly by what we meant and wanted. We said our peace and just agreed to forget about it"

"Do you think he has?" Natasha looked to Peggy in the corner of her eye with a little unconvincing smirk on her face. Peggy then smirked herself and nodded with a sigh

"He's accepting it better than you think"

Natasha bought it. For now and looked back to her computer screen.

They got back into their work and hardly got anywhere from what they did before even after an hour of being back at work. Peggy still couldn't remember the surroundings to pin point to the exact building.

"I'm losing my mind" Peggy mumbled as she leaned back in her chair, gulping down what was left of her tea.

"Don't just yet, hang in there" Natasha patted Peggy's leg as he started to type faster, her brain was clearly cooking something up. Peggy's eyebrows pinched together as she leaned forward again to the screen.

"What are you doing?"

"A theory" Natasha leaned back in her chair again and stared at the screen as Peggy looked to her with a curious look on her face. What Natasha trying to make a big dramatic pause or does it just happen with her? Either way Peggy grew impatient with anticipation "Nat, today would be lovely to tell me your theory"

"Well it's more of a suggestion, but we've worked out there's four bases. Why don't we just break up and tackle them all at the same time? We get some of the best agents we know to back us up. Have a team each and go in"

"And we'll definitely get Bucky" Peggy smiled brightly. Natasha nodded and then laughed "I think we've done it"

It almost didn't feel real, but how could it be flawed. It was a perfect plan. Bucky is most likely to be in one of these bases. And with the right team behind them, it would be damn hard for them to escape. Peggy picked up her phone, about to call Steve. When she got a call of her own.

"Hello?"

_"Hi, is this Peggy Carter?"_

"Yes it is, and this is?"

_"This is Pauline. From the nursing home?"_

Peggy's face dropped for a moment. She stood up from her chair and walked away a little bit. "Is Angie alright?"

_"Yes yes she's fine, but she's asked to see you today"_

Peggy looked to Natasha. Natasha mouthed "What?"

Peggy then spoke back to Pauline "Could you hold on for a moment, thanks"

Peggy put her hand over the phone and turned back to Natasha "It's Angie. She wants to see me now but what about Steve and the rest of the team-"

"I'll tell them. Seriously it's fine, go see your friend"

"Thank you" Peggy whispered as she put the phone back to ear and began to walk down the hall to go grab her coat from her bedroom "Pauline. Hi, tell Angie I'll be there in about twenty minutes" she hung up and went upstairs into her bedroom. She then realized that going to see her bestfriend in the slouchy clothes she put on after her and Steve's quality time together. She quickly put on high waisted blue jeans a white long sleeved blouse and her beige trenchcoat that down to just above her knees along with light brown leather ankle boots. That was better.

Peggy didn't have her own car. But Steve did along with his motorcycle. After all what's his is hers, right? She took his car keys from the side of their living room table and made her way to the nursing home.

* * *

Peggy pulled up and quickly walked in the nursing home. Pauline smiled when she saw Peggy "Sorry about the rush of it all"

"Oh no it's fine"

"You're the only person she's wanted to see all day"

Peggy then looked at her confused and tilted her head "What about her daughter and grandchildren?"

"They visited yesterday" Of course. Yesterday was Wednesday. Peggy nodded and gave a grateful smile as she put her hand on the door handle ready to go in Angie's room "Okay well thank you for calling me"

Peggy opened the door and went in the room to see Angie sitting in one of her arm chairs. She looked up and her face quickly brightened.

"Peg!"

"Hi, Angie" Peggy walked over to Angie and gave her a hug before sitting in the chair next to her. She hadn't seen Angie in over a week.

"Are you okay?" Peggy added as she took her own scan of how her friend was doing. Angie had been under the weather recently. It was bound to worry Peggy.

Angie smiled and nodded "I'm...I'm doing just fine. I wanted to see you, last time I heard from you, you were going to a different county...budapest or something"

Peggy knew she had forgotten to do something. She forgot to ring Angie to tell her that everything went okay "So are _you_ okay?" Angie then scanned Peggy to judge for herself if there were any cuts or bruises. She was used to seeing them when Peggy would come home from her mission work. It was sometimes tough to see.

"I'm fine, budapest was...interesting"

Angie raised her eyebrows "I know that tone, spill. What happened?" Peggy smirked and cleared her throat as she sat back in her chair "The mission was easy I guess. It was when we got back to the house we were staying in, we were having some drinks and all of a sudden Steve puts in this little comment about the marriage thing"

"Oh no" Angie pulled a an 'that must have been awkward' face "I thought you guys talked about it?"

"Apparently I talked and Steve listened. Anyway I get him up in to our bedroom and we had a bit of an argument. We were shouting at each other for the first time in...forever" Peggy laughed dryly and then licked her bottom lip as she looked down at the right hand that was covering her left "And then...we agreed to something"

"What?"

Peggy looked back to Angie and gulped heavily. They agreed to keep it a secret. But, it's not like Angie is going to tell anyone that could end up going back to the team. And Angie wasn't just anyone, she's was Peggy's bestfriend. She laughed again, nervously and said "On this" Peggy extended her hand out and shown her the ring on her finger.

And Angie's jaw dropped, she quickly grabbed Peggy's hand and brought it slightly closer to her face to get a better look at the ring. It was so beautiful that it made even Angie speechless.

"Holy cow, you-you guys...how much do you think _that_ cost?!"

"Honestly I'm too afraid to even think about that" Peggy laughed along with her friend. Angie then looked back into Peggy's eyes "Oh my god...you're engaged. Wow"

Peggy smiled and felt herself getting emotional, she nodded "Yeah. I am...still hasn't really sunk in, he only gave me the ring this morning...and we're keeping it a secret until we find Steve's friend"

"I take it, it's the man that went through what you went through"

Peggy nodded and looked back down at the ring for a moment. It still felt weird seeing it on her finger. It was a good weird, obviously. But she used to only see this happening in her dreams. She looked back to Angie "Yeah, so this ring will have to stay in my drawer for a little while"

"But you're getting married" Angie gasped, finding it hard to believe almost as much as Peggy has been finding it hard to believe. Although nothing was planned yet and it was a while off. Peggy was getting married. And that made her heart skip a beat everytime she thought about it.

"To Steve" Angie smiled with warmth as she gazed down at Peggy's hand. She was so happy and proud of her friend. Of the life she had built. She had never seen Peggy so happy, ever. Angie looked looked back to Peggy and saw that her eyes were filling up, she looked at her, confused "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know….I guess after I thought he died I just never saw this happening...marriage, I didn't think that it would happen because"

"You wouldn't love anyone else more than him"

Peggy looked at Angie with a smirk. She knew her so well "Exactly, and I'm lucky...I only hoped that I could have brought you guys with me"

Angie smiled and shrugged "Life is messy and confusing, but the way I see it. I know you went through hell at first, but the universe knew that you and Steve belonged together and so it put you back together again"

"You've gotten wise in your old age, Martinelli" Peggy whispered as she took hold of Angie's hand again.

"I'm really happy for you, english, I just hope I'll make it for the wedding"

Peggy then tilted her head and laughed "Of course you will, why wouldn't you? You're fit as a fiddle, right?"

"Right. Of course"

"They'll let you out of the nursing home for it won't they?"

"Yes, I just have to take someone who will _supervise_ me" Angie rolled her eyes and then added "Like my daughter or Pauline"

Peggy nodded and then said with a proud smile "Good because. You'll be my maid of honor"

Angie's eyes widened for a moment she gulped heavily and said "That's an important role, Peg. I'm not as young as I used to be"

"You're an important person and besides I'm not saying you have to do the work of it all, I just want to make you my maid of honor because you're my bestfriend and I love you"

Angie smiled and thanked her. She loved Peggy too, so of course she would accept. She then changed the subject of being the maid of honor and said in an excited tone "What kind of dress will you wear?! Where will you have it!"

"No no, Angie I haven't thought about it nor will I think about it for some time" Peggy laughed. Angie then gave her a look. Not believing a word Peggy just said.

"Peg, please, I know you and I know you've thought about it as soon as you and him agreed to go through with getting engaged"

Peggy smirked and looked at of the window. Damn Angie's psychic gifts.

"Long, figure cute traditional white dress, none of that over the top poofy bottom section but a medium length trail of the dress...as for the actually wedding. In a church obviously, but I'd love for the reception afterwards to be outside, maybe a rooftop with fairy lights around it, nothing too grand" Peggy felt herself get lost in thought

"Oh yes, that's certainly not thinking about it" Angie sarcastically stated with a little laugh. Peggy looked back to Angie from looking at the window and sighed "We all have that little girl inside of us who always dreams of it"

Angie nodded and then was about to say something when Peggy's phone began to ring. Peggy groaned and then looked down to her phone. It was Steve. Peggy sighed and looked to Angie "One second, Ange"

She put the phone to her ear "Hi, darling"

_"Natasha just told me"_

Peggy smiled. She noticed that his tone was both excited and worried. It had hit him that he had the biggest chance he's ever had that would be get his friend back.

"Are you alright?"

_"Honestly? I'm a little scared. But a good scared...wait...oh I'm sorry Peggy, I forgot you were with Angie"_

"It's alright, love...by the way she knows"

_"She knows?"_

"I know" Angie stated loud enough for Steve to hear her over the phone. Steve laughed over the phone _"Well you couldn't hold the secret for long"_

"It's different" Peggy laughed. And Steve knew, he was just teasing "Look darling I know you're nervous and I shouldn't be long, I'll be home soon and we can talk about it then okay?"

_"Okay, I'll see you at home"_

Peggy hung up the phone "Sorry, you were saying?"

"Huh? Oh...it...doesn't matter...to be honest I've forgotten myself" Angie laughed. Peggy didn't question it. She just went with it.

* * *

Peggy got home and found everyone in the computer room, where she left Nat. She returned with no ring on her finger, it was kept safe in her pocket.

"Hey look who came home" Tony said looking at his watch.

"Surprised I have friends outside of this little circle, Tony? We can't all be like you" Peggy smirked as she walked over to them, making the rest of them laugh. Steve put his arm around Peggy's waist and pulled her close to him "How was Angie?"

"She's okay, she had a cold a couple of days ago but she seems fine now" Peggy nodded, she then whispered "She's happy for us"

Steve smiled lovingly at her. Natasha looked over to them and tilted her head. She'd seen them smile at each other before but this looked different. There was some sort of new glow. Natasha nudged the person closest to her, which she then realized was Tony. Great now that she'd gotten his attention by elbowing him in his ribs she couldn't exactly say it was nothing.

"Romanoff save the foreplay for Barton"

Natasha rolled her eyes and motioned her head to Steve and Peggy "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Tony took one look at them and stated "A new glow"

"Yeah"

"Uh-huh" Tony looked back at them and tilted his head "Maybe she's pregnant"

Natasha laughed and shook her head at his ridiculous statement "Come on...oh god maybe she's pregnant"

Natasha and Tony were quickly took away from their little brainstorm when Clint came back in the room and said "Okay, I asked Maria to do some digging of the best agents and she's assigned our teams, she's sent us all an email"

"When is this happening?" Sam asked as he crossed his arms.

"Tomorrow night" Clint nodded "We've done it by day and it attracts a lot of attention, we don't need that hassle"

Clint had a point. The less attention this all got the better and the easier.

"Sam will be with me and four other agents. Natasha will go with Maria" Clint then looked to Tony. Who was kind enough to come back from DC to help out "Do you think Bruce will be up for this?"

"I'll talk to him. If he tries to back out I'll just use my charm, I take it he's with me?"

"Yeah, and you two" Clint turned to Steve and Peggy "Steve was originally going to go with Sam and Peggy with Tony but we figured if Barnes is in the base you two go to, he might recognize the two people he spent his last days with"

It made sense, though they don't know if Bucky had been wiped again or not. Still, seeing their faces could trigger something.

* * *

Later on that night. Nearly hitting eleven. Peggy and Steve lay in bed. Peggy had her head lay on Steve's naked chest as he softly made circles with his fingers on her bare back. Steve kissed her forehead and said, still catching his breath "Do you think it's going to work?"

"I don't see how it won't" Peggy assured him, with her head still lay on his chest. She then added "What are you scared of exactly?"

Steve sighed "I dunno. I'm scared I can't help him. That he won't get better, then what? What will we do then?"

Peggy then lifted her head and caressed his left cheek with her right hand as she was leaning on her other elbow. She kissed the corner of his mouth "Steven Grant Rogers, if there is one thing you can do in this world is help people. You make them better, through your love"

Steve couldn't help but grow a small smile.

"Were you scared when you were going to try and save me?"

Steve gulped heavily and nodded "You know I was"

"And look where we are...you saved me, we're more in love than ever, we're _engaged_" Peggy raised her eyebrows at the end of her sentence with a proud smile to match his. She then added "The way I see it, you'll save Bucky, you'll have your brother back...and a best man at the wedding"

"God I hope so" Steve said in a whisper.

"You don't have to ask God for this Steve. Because you'll do it" Steve kissed her forehead again and he wrapped his arms around her body, bringing her closer to him.

"I don't think I could have gotten through this half as calmly without you by my side" he whispered. Peggy smiled as she looked back into his eyes, she bit her lip and slowly pulled his head close to her, pressing their lips together.

"I'll always be with you" she kissed him again. Peggy then nuzzled her head into his neck and closed her eyes. It was silent again for a moment, until she heard Steve say "Why was Natasha and Tony asking if we're going to paint the room blue or pink?"

"Probably drunk" Peggy laughed.

Steve then began to think about his fears on tomorrow, Peggy, with her hand on his arm. Felt him tense up. Peggy sighed and kissed his shoulder "Go to sleep, darling. You aren't doing yourself any good by worrying about the worst out comes"

"I love you, you know that right?" he said in a suddenly shaken tone.

She knew what was also worrying him. She could read him like a book.

"Steve. You aren't going to lose me by going back there, they will not get me" Peggy looked back up to him "You cannot let these bastards keep you up at night...but yes, I know and I love you too. Now go to sleep" She lay her head back on him and then joked with a small smile  
"Before I knock you out myself"

* * *

**This was a fun chapter. I posted the ring that Steve gave to Peggy on my twitter missagentatwell also I do drop some teasers now and then so look out ;) Anyway the team is finally getting Bucky back! So yes Bucky is going to come back and will be a main character in the sequel and this part of the story is coming to an end! **

**Please leave thoughts on this chapter below :) hope you enjoyed.**


	33. Chapter 33

Steve had built up every fibre of his being to brace himself for what he was going to face tonight. A part of him always felt like even though they said they would find him they never will. He thought that he had really lost Bucky forever this time. A fate worse than death was being a captive of Hydra. He knows what some of the agents may think. That Bucky was a killer and that he should pay for his crimes. But aren't we all killers? Nearly everyone in this organization has killed someone, yes shield are the good guys. Yes they kill the bad guys. But who are they to consider Bucky a villain when the real Bucky, the man deep down, is trapped and forced into being someone he is not and doing things he would never imagine of doing. He knew Bucky. And deep down, Bucky knows Steve. He tried to get a real good night sleep. But he was tossing and turning all night.

Steve got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist and looked at himself in the mirror as he wiped the steam off of it with the palm of his hand. He stared at his reflection. He could tell by the look on his face that he did look how he felt. 'Get it together, Steve' he said to himself. Steve leaned down to the sink and splashed water on his face. He was like this the morning he went after Peggy. Steve was a captain, so in front of his team he needed to act like one. But when by himself, he was still the nervous skinny young man that was deep down inside of him.

Steve went downstairs in his grey sweat pants and plain white t-shirt. Everyone was in the kitchen. Clint, Tony, Bruce and Pepper were all sat around the table whilst eating their breakfast. Natasha and Peggy were talking as Peggy was cooking up some bacon.

"So you _weren't_ sick this morning?" Steve heard Natasha say as he walked over to the two of them. Peggy tilted her head and pinched her eyebrows together "No, Natasha. Why would I be?"

Natasha shrugged and raised an eyebrow. Not believing her "No, reason...morning Steve" Natasha gave Steve a nod with a little smile. Steve put on a small smile himself as he said "Good morning"

Natasha glanced down at the folded newspaper in her hand and then walked away to leave the two of them to talk. She had a feeling that he needed cheering up from the vibe he was giving. As Natasha walked away, Steve rested his hand on Peggy's shoulders "I was surprised that you were up before me"

"I thought I'd let you sleep in, you were tossing and turning all night"

"Did I keep you up?"

Peggy sighed and shook her head "No, not really, I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I came back in the room you were still moving around" Peggy then stopped speaking for a moment as she put the bacon in between two slices of bread and held Steve's sandwich on a plate before him to take "Bad dream?"

Steve sighed and gave a little nod "You could say that" he took the plate and thanked her in a slightly mumbled tone as he sat down at the breakfast bar on one of the bar stools, staring down at his breakfast. Peggy walked over to him and joked as she gave him a light shake "You're supposed to eat it"

He looked down at his food again and then shrugged "Y'know, I think I'll just go in the gym"

"No you won't. You know it's never a good idea to go in the gym before you've eaten"

Steve rolled his eyes and nodded. But he seriously wasn't hungry. He couldn't concentrate on food. All he could concentrate on was tonight and what could happen and what he needed to do in order to be ready. This is just how he gets with some things, it wasn't anything new. Peggy stared at him and then sat on the stool next to him. She grabbed a knife and cut it right down the middle. Steve raised an eyebrow to her. Peggy shrugged and sighed "Well if you won't eat the whole damn thing you can at least have half"

Steve finally cracked a small smile and gave in.

"So what was your dream about?"

Steve turned his head again to Peggy.

_"Bucky! Grab my hand...no!"_

He sighed and just raised his eyebrows to her. Peggy gulped heavily "The train"

"Yeah" He looked down at the table and felt Peggy's hand taking hold of his. "It wasn't your fault" she whispered.

_"Did you read the reports?"_

_"Yes"_

_"Then you know that's not true"_

"I keep trying to tell myself that but….doesn't help when I really think about it"

Peggy rubbed her lips together and stroked his arm "Steve, don't dwell on what happened, if you are going to think about the past that you shared with Bucky, think about the good times, and the more good times you're going to have once he's better"

Peggy had what she's always had in Steve. Faith. She had faith that he was going to succeed tonight. She had faith that he could help Bucky. And she had faith that Bucky will be the best friend he once was. Steve smiled again and squeezed her hand as a symbol of his gratitude

"Thank you" he said in a quiet tone. Peggy then put her half of the sandwich back on his plate.

"I thought you were having half" he laughed in a lighter tone.

"No, I already ate before, if I had anymore then bacon is going to start making me feel nauseous"

Unaware that Tony was behind them. All he heard as he came from behind was 'bacon is going to start making me feel nauseous' and made assumptions of his own to add to him and Natasha's little theory, his eyes widened for a moment and jaw slightly dropped. He spun back around and ran over to the table, he leaned down to Natasha and mumbled quietly "Carter is _so_ pregnant"

Natasha looked over to Steve and Peggy for a moment and then looked back to Tony "What did she say?"

"That certain foods are beginning to make her feel nauseous" the two of them glanced to Steve and Peggy and then smirked at each other. Tony then questioned "Do you think she should be doing this tonight?"

"I'm sure she's comfortable doing it else she wouldn't be doing it"

"Yes but is her _fetus_ comfortable doing it" Tony muttered with his eyebrows slightly raised as he knew he had a point. Well he thought he did.

Later on, the team made their way to the shield headquarters. All suited up. Each team assigned to a certain leader was waiting for them as soon as they stepped in the building. Sam and Clint went over to their team. Natasha went to Maria and hers. Tony and Bruce to theirs and then Steve and Peggy to theirs. And on their team was one familiar face.

"Sharon" Peggy smiled to her niece, Sharon turned and returned a smile back "They had no choice but to put me on your team...cause I made them" Peggy laughed and rubbed Sharon's arm who looked to Steve and nodded "Captain, good to see you"

"You too Sharon"

Sharon could tell that Steve was under pressure. Hell, everyone could tell that. She could tell by his tone. He's usually more relaxed. Sharon and Steve saw each other more outside of work, they grew to be good friends from Peggy and Sharon spending more time together. She even took Peggy to visit her nephew. Obviously he didn't remember her. Last time she saw him he was a few months old. Same with Steve…

**March 5th. 1945.**

_"Carter, fancy taking me and Steve round London? Show us your hometown?" Bucky teased as he walked in her office, slapping his best friend on the back as he looked to the brunette who was currently slipping on her coat. Peggy looked up and laughed "Sorry boys. I'd love to but I actually have a family call to make"_

_"Family call?" Steve tilted his head._

_"Yes. I found Sarah's address. Howard helped me do some digging on the side of work"_

_Steve smiled "That's great!"_

_"I'm rather nervous, if I'm honest" Peggy bit her lip as she lightly scratched her chin._

_Bucky subtly nudged Steve with his shoulder. Both of their eyes still on Peggy. Steve didn't take notice. Bucky nudged him again. Harder. Steve then slapped Bucky's arm and whispered like a five year old brother "Quit it"_

_Bucky laughed and whispered "Offer to go with her"_

_"What?"_

_"She's nervous, she may need a hand to hold" Bucky teased again as he wiggled his fingers, getting another slap on the arm from Steve who rolled his eyes "I'm serious though Steve. You're her friend...a very close friend" he laughed. He just couldn't resist._

_But he was being serious by what he was saying "If she says no then no harm done. But it seems that she wants and needs support right now" Bucky patted Steve firmly on the back again and then said to Peggy "Good luck, Peggy"_

_Peggy gave him a grateful smile and nod. She looked back down at putting her watch on her wrist. Steve looked back at Peggy and took a deep breath as he stepped further into her office. He clicked his thumbs "So...you're nervous huh?"_

_"Yeah I am...god this watch strap keeps getting stuck" Peggy huffed under her breath. Steve laughed and then walked over to her and helped her out. Steve took the watch straps in his own hands on held her wrist. The touch of him on her skin was enough to make her heart flutter._

_"Y'know if you want...i-if you want. I'd...I'd go with you" Steve offered, now fixing her watch strap and looking back to her slightly taken back expression._

_"You're offering to come with me?"_

_Steve shrugged "Only if it would calm your nerves. Sometimes it's better to have support than be on your own, I'd just go in the car ride with you if you want" he then shut up as he felt like he would carry on rambling from his nerves as to suggesting this. Peggy let out a quick and small smile "Okay"_

_"Wait, seriously?" Steve raised his eyebrows with a light laugh._

_"Yes. But we have to go now so hurry up" Peggy tugged on Steve's sleeve briefly as she walked out of the office. Steve watched her leave for a moment to just process what was happening. He was going to go around london with Peggy off work. Granted it was just to one place but still. Steve cleared his throat and straightened his tie and fixed his hair as he then followed her out._

_Peggy's sister in law lived about twenty minutes away from the SSR headquarters. But the car journey hardly carried an ounce of silence._

_"Does she know that you're coming today?"_

_Peggy shook her head "No. I didn't even know I was coming today until I woke up this morning, I'd been putting off since we got here"_

_"How come?"_

_Peggy's eyes then met Steve's. She sighed and shrugged "Because when I go to Jonathan's home and see everyone there except him, it'll feel all the more real that he's gone" she then looked back to looking out the window._

_"You gonna be okay? Seeing your sister in law and the baby"_

_The car pulled up outside the house._

_"This is the place, Miss Carter" the driver said as he took a glance at the house himself._

_Peggy took a deep breath and then smiled "It's just how I remember…" she turned to Steve who had a warm and some what comforting smile on his face._

_"Could you?"_

_"Sure" Steve nodded._

_Peggy walked up to the front door with Steve right behind her. The short time they waited for the door to open felt like a ten minute wait to Peggy. The door opened to see the dark ginger haired woman greet them with her piercing green eyes and surprised look on her face._

_"Peggy" she gasped in her Irish voice, holding her hand to her mouth for a moment to just take in the woman stood in front of her "Wow" she laughed "I thought I'd never see you again"_

_Sarah pulled Peggy in for a tight embrace "Me either, I could remember the house but the address was such a blur to me"_

_"I can imagine from all the work you've been doing" Sarah's eyes then went from Peggy to Steve, she recognised him from the newspapers. Almost everyone knew who Captain America was. Peggy then realised she forgot to introduce the two of them "Sorry, Sarah this is Steve, Steve this is my sister in law, Sarah"_

_Steve smiled and shook Sarah's hand "A pleasure to meet you"_

_"Yes, you too, Captain Rogers"_

_"Please, call me Steve. I get enough of that at work"_

_"From me especially" Peggy muttered with an amused smile as her eyes stayed on Sarah._

_Sarah invited the two of them in, and in the living room. Peggy laid her eyes on her nephew for the first time. In his crib, making 'baby' giggling noises and wiggling his arms. Clearly wanting some attention. Peggy laid her hands on the side of the crib and looked over the child._

_"Crikey...he has Johnny's eyes and nose...your mouth and chin"_

_Sarah smiled as she watched her son "John's hair too" she laughed as she ran her fingers through the baby's hair "Harrison was the name we decided on for a boy"_

_"Harrison. Lovely" Peggy whispered as she stroked Harrison's cubby rose cheek._

_It didn't take long for Peggy to lift Harrison out of the crib to hold him in her arms. She glanced to Steve who had a warm smile on his face._

_He slowly walked over and looked at the baby boy for himself "So, this is what your brother looked like"_

_"Roughly. Yes" Peggy smiled to Steve as she then looked back to the baby. Steve looked to Sarah and tilted his head "I'm sorry about your husband, Peggy has told me many great things about him"_

_Sarah gave a grateful smile and crossed her arms "Thank you, it certainly has been rough but from the support from my parents and cousin it has made it slightly easier"_

_"I went to his grave last week" Peggy confessed, getting a confused look from Steve. She looked at him and then stated "Howard snuck me out for an hour. Being the head scientist has it's privileges including sneaking me out with him"_

_Peggy lightly bounced the baby up and down to soothe him. She was a natural._

_"I'm sorry you couldn't make it, we didn't know where you were"_

_"Don't be silly Sarah it's fine, honestly"_

_A while later, Peggy and Sarah were in the kitchen whilst Steve remained in the living room. Sat on the sofa with the baby in his arms. Peggy passed Harrison over to Steve before he could back out of it as Sarah and Peggy went to make a cup of tea. The two women watched Steve from the living room._

_"How have you been?" Peggy squeezed Sarah's hand as a symbol of comfort. Sarah smiled and nodded "It's...it's hard some days and easier on the others. We're all still grieving but...I'm still proud of him, for what he did. Harrison will grow up being proud too"_

_"Of course he will, Johnny is with us all. Including Harrison. He may not see his father but his father will certainly watch him grow up from the side lines"_

_Sarah smiled and nodded. Rubbing Peggy's back and lent her forehead against the side of Peggy's for a moment and thanked her as she put her head back._

_"And you?"_

_"To be honest. Work distracted me a lot. When I'm alone I think about him all the time. But more about the memories and not just what happened to him, like when me, Johnny and you were twelve and we used to try and sneak licorice out of Mrs Mills shop"_

_Sarah laughed "We were so scared we were going to get arrested but Johnny insisted we get the sweets or he'd call us big babies for the rest of our days"_

_The two women laughed, Peggy then added "He called it me on occasions when were older and I'd have to punch him to make him stop...oh and then Jonathan stuffed too much town his short and they ended up falling out whilst we ran"_

_They laughed even more, tears filled their eyes. Neither of them could decide they had them because they were laughing or because their pain for their loss was showing through. Their laughter died down for a moment as they heard Steve laugh at something Harrison did._

_"He's gorgeous" Peggy said, keeping her eyes on Harrison._

_"Which one are you talking about?" Sarah teased with a little laugh._

_Peggy's head snapped to Sarah "Sarah, what in god's name are you talking about?"_

_"Oh please. The way you look at him"_

_"He's my co-worker and friend"_

_"Boyfriend" She laughed as she took a sip of her tea, making Peggy almost choke on hers._

_"Come on"_

_"How come you brought him here?"_

_"I...needed someone to support me, I was nervous"_

_"You needed him. You could have brought anyone, you could have brought your other friend Howard"_

_"Howard Stark would most likely try to flirt with you and take you out"_

_Sarah shrugged "Okay whatever you say, but can I give you a little piece of advice. Sister in law to sister in law"_

_"Of course" she laughed._

_Sarah leaned on her elbows on the counter "We've known each other since we were twelve right? And you haven't been with another man really since you were seventeen with your highschool sweetheart, William"_

_"Oh god really, you're bringing William into this speech" Peggy laughed as she took another drink of her tea._

_"Ha, am I wrong"_

_Peggy was silent for a moment, Sarah's eyes still focused on Peggy, she looked down to her tea and then mumbled as she brought it to her lips "No you're spot on, carry on"_

_"Thought so. Look. My point is, you have an issue on letting people in because you're scared of heartbreak. I'm going to meet someone some day and when that happens, I won't wait for the chance to jump out the window to then regret not taking it, and you should do that same. From what I see? He's...it's worth it"_

_"What's it's?"_

_"Happiness" Sarah nudged Peggy. Peggy looked back to Steve the way he so quickly adapted to Harrison. He also seemed to be a natural with babies Peggy took in Sarah's advice. But she had to be careful with this sort of stuff. Her feelings mixing with her professional life could get tricky. For everyone involved._

_They spent another long while with Sarah. They had lunch and Sarah and Peggy told Steve more stories of the two of them and Johnathan from when they were younger, which Steve enjoyed hearing. He liked hearing about Peggy before the war. Peggy then spent time on her own with Harrison whilst Sarah asked Steve questions about how he became Captain America, which he surprisingly enjoyed telling._

_Time felt like it flew by, by the time they knew it. Steve and Peggy had to return back to headquarters._

_Peggy bid an emotional farewell to Sarah and her nephew. Steve was perfectly lovely to Sarah, telling her how it was an honour to meet her and letting him be apart of the day she spent with Peggy. Needless to say, Sarah approved._

_They went back to headquarters. Before they stepped in the building. Before any of the agents and soldiers gave them shit for being away for so long together. Before Bucky could tease the hell out of them because that's what Bucky does best. Peggy stopped him "I just wanted to say, thank you for coming with me today. It meant a lot to me"_

_"Oh hey, it was nothing. It was nice though to meet someone from your family" Steve shrugged as if it was no big deal. But it was a big deal to her._

_"Once I was in the house I was comfortable but, if I didn't have you with me to support me. I probably would have told Samuel to just carry on driving" Peggy laughed with a shrug._

_"So thank you, very much" she added, and then put her arms around his neck. And hugged him. It took him by surprise at first, but it didn't take him long to hug her back "Anytime"_

_"No doubt Sarah would want to see you again" Peggy laughed as she pulled away._

_But she never did. Peggy never found the time to visit Sarah with Steve. They had so much happen, from their missions to Bucky's tragic 'death' and then to plan their attack on Schmit. Steve was driven with revenge. Peggy saw Sarah again before leaving back to New York after Steve had crashed the plane. Sarah had never seen Peggy's in such heartbreak, Harrison was one then._

_Peggy never saw Sarah after that except on a few occasions such as Christmas once and the anniversary of Jonathan's death. The last time Peggy saw Harrison was when he was almost three._

"Right. Let's load up and get ready to head out. We won't get another chance like this again so let's do it properly" Steve called the everyone "I'll get your gun" he mumbled as he then briefly kissed the top of Peggy's head. He walked away before she could insisted that she could 'get her own bloody gun' Peggy just sighed and rubbed her eyelids, she looked back to her niece and raised her hand "Don't say a word about his yelling, he's been off all day"

"He's nervous huh?" Sharon nodded as she slipped her gun into her holder belt. Peggy nodded and then said, shaking her head "Like you wouldn't believe"

"He was like this when it was with you"

"He's like this when it's about people he loves" Peggy nodded taking her eyes back to Sharon.

"Move out!" Steve came back quicker than expected, making Peggy jump and whisper 'Jesus'

The four teams moved out to their army vans. Before she got in the van, she saw Natasha look over to her. Peggy smiled and nodded as a way to say 'good luck'. Natasha then did the same. She would ask about if Peggy was up for this from thinking she was pregnant but...she couldn't shout it.

Finally they reached their bases. Quietly they moved out of their vans. They each had a 'computer wiz' trying to pick up the detector of serum to pinpoint which floor Bucky was on. But it could take a while to see through the other chemicals. They couldn't sit and wait though. Everyone in each team had the same orders, they all had the same pattern to take to hope it'll go to plan. Steve gave each their orders and they began to move out. Peggy grabbed hold of Sharon and looked at her. Seeing her brother, nephew and sister in law all in her. She smiled and briefly touched Sharon's cheek and then dropped her hand to Sharon's shoulder "I promised your father I'd take care of you. Be safe Sharon, if you are in danger or hurt you call me and I will run to your side, got it?"

"I got it. Good luck Aunt Peg" Sharon smiled back and squeezed Peggy's hand before going to her position. She turned around to Steve, also going to move out "Steven" she whispered. Making him turn. Peggy stared at him for a moment and then grabbed the front collar of his uniform and clashed his lips onto hers. Every mission would make her feel like this. Scared. This wasn't like the other missions either. Natasha told Peggy that Steve almost died twice when in a fight with Bucky. He was just as strong as the both of them. Maybe stronger. So yes, she was scared as well. Because the last time they went against people this strong. Steve ended up in ice.

Their foreheads pressed together, Peggy's fingertips lingered to his cheeks "Come back to me" she whispered.

Steve gulped heavily and nodded, eyes still closed. Foreheads still pressed together "Always"

The both took a deep breath and looked back to each other. They didn't have time to go with the 'I love you speech' but they said it through their eyes and smile. They then both parted ways and into another war. To rescue their fallen soldier.

* * *

**This might also be a favourite flashback of mine. Anyway poor Steve is all nervous! Don't worry Bucky, your Captain is on the way!**

**Thank you guys for your lovely reviews on support on all social media I love hearing your thoughts! Like I've said before this story is coming to an end very soon but the sequel will be coming just as fast ;) **


	34. Chapter 34

They were under fire as soon as they went through the door. Which was no surprise at all.

As soon as Peggy stepped in the building. She knew this was the base. This was the base she was held captive in to be a killing machine. She recognised the inside of the building and the people. Which made it all the more satisfying to put a bullet in them or beat them down. She just hoped that Bucky was in this building. For Steve's sake. He wanted to save Bucky. He saw it as his duty. Steve was on the totally opposite side of the building to Peggy. She couldn't see him at all.

"Any update on Barnes?" Peggy asked anyone who was listening.

_"We're getting closer to pinning him down, there is a lot of chemical vibrations over shadowing the serum"_ Said Agent Pots, who was one of the agents who was working the computers, back at the shield base. Peggy nodded and carried on doing her work.

Peggy took down one guy, one bullet. On the floor, out. She heard footsteps come up from behind her, quickly she spun around and pointed the gun. This face was familiar indeed.

"Let's see how you'd do with a little pressure, soldier"

It was her old fighting partner. William. He stared at her with a smirk "So, it's come to this"

"So it has"

"I liked you. But...I should've killed you when I had the chance. And now that this is the real thing, you haven't got your boyfriend to protect you" Peggy then smirked and lowered her gun. She ran over and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his legs and dropping him down the floor, she punched him over and over again. He hit her in the stomach knocking her back as he jumped back to his feet. But by the time he turned back around. Peggy was out of sight. Damn, he forgot the serum makes her faster.

"Actually" he heard her voice from behind him, he turned around to her. Gun at his head. Peggy then added with another smirk on her face "He's my fiancee" Peggy then shot at him twice, putting him down like the dog he was. Peggy sighed and muttered "_Wanker_" as she then left the room and on to another.

Peggy was joined by two other shield agents as she was under fire. She took cover and shot at any good chance she saw. It was then that she heard over the ear piece.

_"Peggy. This might be a bad time but Tony and I were wondering if you should be doing this in your condition"_ Natasha asked. Clearly asking this whilst in the middle of her own fight.

"What the bloody hell are you on about? You two have been asking me about my well being all day?" Peggy questioned as took more shots from her cover.

_"Peggy we know"_ Tony then spoke up. Peggy rolled her eyes "Know what?"

_"You're pregnant!"_ Natasha stated loudly.

"What?!"

_"What!"_ Steve's voice was then heard over the ear piece

"Jesus" Peggy muttered as she then punched in the face the hydra agent currently trying to kill her, she kicked the back of his knee, knocking him onto one knee and then punched him across the face again. Knocking him out completely.

_"You're pregnant?!"_ Steve yelled that she actually then heard him in the building.

"No I'm not bloody pregnant!"

_"Yes you are!"_ Tony argued _"I heard what you said about bacon this morning, Carter"_

"Am I supposed to understand what that means?"

_"And you've had a glow"_ Natasha added.

_"Mm hm, there's always a glow with women with a cap in the oven" _

"Look" Peggy started her sentence, she paused as she shot another agent. Before the poor bastard could even try to shoot her. She then huffed her breath "I'm not pregnant, Steve and I are engaged"

There was then a silence.

_"Is that it?"_ Were Tony's words to break the silence.

_"Yeah that's kind of a let down"_ Natasha groaned _"I MEAN...congrats you two"_

Peggy let out a laugh as she scoped out the hallway she was walking down.

_"Yeah I guess...pfft I really wanted a baby cap, god this is a bummer"_ Tony tutted at Peggy's let down.

There was another minute of silence_ "Congratulations you guys"_ Clint's voice suddenly appeared to their ears. Peggy then had a flush of red hit her cheeks as she realised that everyone had heard that.

_"Yeah congrats"_ said. Every. Single. Agent. Including Sam, Maria and Bruce. Peggy then heard Steve laugh quietly.

"Right. Now that that's out. Can we please get back to our job" Peggy requested as she couldn't concentrate whilst those two were digging in at her ear.

* * *

The sound of gun shots was outstanding. It was like being in a war all over again. But then again, they sort of were. This never ending war with Hydra.

_"My team, this is Carter"_ Sharon's panicking voice struck a core in Peggy's stomach.

"Sharon what's going on?" Peggy stopped shooting and ducked down as she spoke to her niece.

_"Call off the search for Barnes"_

_"What do you mean?"_ Steve quickly spoke up at the hearing of Bucky. Sharon sighed over the ear piece and said in a shaken voice _"Because I'm in the same room as him"_

Peggy's eyes went wide. Sharon in a room with Bucky. Bucky who could be in his brainwashed state, serum running in his veins and Sharon. Who is a very skilled Agent, but she had no serum. She had no advantage. She would lose.

_"Where are you?"_ Steve asked.

_"Top floor, second door on your left. It's a huge cell, the door was open as he's just...he's just staring at me. But his eyes-"_

_"Don't worry. I'll be up there right now"_ Steve finished off the two men he was fighting, knocking them both out to the ground. And he ran. He ran like he'd never ran before. Knocking out every hydra agent in his path.

_"Hey. Promise me something, Stevie"_

_"Anything Buck?"_

_"Promise me that no matter how bad some of our situations will be, we'll always have each other's back"_

_"It's a promise, Bucky"_

"It's a promise" Steve whispered to himself as he turned a sharp corner, banging into the wall to be bounced back from his shield. He feel like he couldn't feel his feet. He jumped up over the banister just to avoid walking up the stairs as he felt like that could delay time. Bucky might be getting away. He might of hurt Sharon.

Sharon had her back up against the wall, when she heard footsteps. She took an instinct that it was Steve. She waved her hand out of the door so Steve could see her. He did and ran over. His eyes met the vision of Bucky for the first time in months. And it still felt just as raw. Bucky was stood on the opposite side on the room, at a good distance away. His eyes weren't even on Sharon or Steve, he was just staring at the floor. His breathing was heavily. As if he was trying to hold something in. Rage? Sadness? Steve wasn't sure. Steve glanced to Sharon and mumbled "Has he moved at all?"

Sharon shook her head, as her eyes were also fixed on the soldier "No. He's just been like that...I didn't know what to do in case-"

"It's okay" Steve briefly touched Sharon's arm, with her gun still clutched in her hand. She had never seen a man looking so fragile yet so terrifying at the same time. He was...unpredictable right now. And that's what made him frightening. Steve walked forward ever slightly, he gulped heavily and got a good look at Bucky. He was now clean shaven, but his hair was still shaggy. He wasn't wearing his hydra uniform. It was clear to see that Hydra intended for him to just be in his cell today. He was just in a plain black t-shirt, granted he was wearing his uniform pants but other than that he had no armor or weapons on him. Sharon opened the door, not realising that it was a cell. When she saw Bucky. She just froze. Bucky had his fist clenched, eyes still fixed on the floor.

Steve gulped heavily once more before speaking "Bucky"

Bucky then slowly looked up. His eyes fixed on Steve. When Steve read his face he knew what was going to happen. Steve quickly grabbed Sharon's arm and pushed her outside. He shut the cell door behind her to then be hit against it by Bucky. Sharon went to open the door but Steve shook his head to her "Leave it" he yelled, pushing Bucky back and taking more and more punches. Sharon stepped backwards, breathing heavily from not knowing what to do. All she could hear was Steve saying Bucky's name over and over again and Bucky screaming over it.

Sharon ran. She was now running faster than she has ever ran before.

Peggy was exactly two floors down from what was going on with Steve and Bucky. She was right under them.

_"Peggy, any news on Barnes?"_ Maria asked. Still fighting, even though Bucky was their main priority and he wasn't in their bases. The rest the team still fought their way through till every last agent was on the floor.

"No. Steve has gone up but nothing has happened. Sharon hasn't even come back down"

The more she heard herself, the more worried she got. What was going on up there? Why haven't they contacted her? Peggy turned to her fellow agent and told them to hold it down as she went to make her way up stairs.

As she began to walk up the stairs, gun raised just in case. She heard footsteps come closer at a fast pace. She held her gun up to the door that was at the top of the stairs. Sharon burst through the door. When she saw her aunt she paused for a moment and then sighed with relief as she ran down to her "Peggy"

"Sharon! What's going-"

"You need to help him!" Sharon cut Peggy off as she gripped onto Peggy's arms to get her full attention. Peggy looked at Sharon with nothing but fear in her eyes "What's happening?"

Sharon gulped heavily and said with a shaken voice "I think he's going to kill Steve. You've got to do something you've got the serum, you're just as strong. He won't be able to handle two of you"

Peggy heard what Sharon said but she was frozen for a moment. It was like that nightmare she had all those weeks ago. It felt like it was beginning to come true.

_"Darling keep your eyes open"_

_"I'm so sorry"_

_"No! Please Steve don't leave me! Please don't leave me!"_

Peggy was quickly snapped back to reality by being shook by Sharon "Aunt Peg. Go. Now" Peggy nodded and ran up the stairs. It felt like everything had slowed down into slow motion. Including herself, her breathing went more heavy. She could hardly think straight. All she could think was Steve. Steve. Steve. Be okay. Be okay. Be safe.

Peggy remembered which room Sharon said it was. As she almost hit the door she heard a painful groan. She knew it was Steve. It was like the one she heard in her dream, her heart felt like it stopped for a moment. She ran faster and got to the door, she looked through the small window and saw Steve on the floor with Bucky stood over him. Ready to throw another deadly blow with his metal arm. The rage on Bucky's face. He looked like he won't stop till Steve's breathing came to a stop. She began to panic. The love of her life was on the floor, almost _lifeless_. Peggy couldn't help but scream his name "STEVE"

She flung the door open and pointed the gun to Bucky. Bucky then looked at her, in the eyes. But he looked...confused. Like something was running through his mind. He was frozen for a moment. Something was happening to him. Hence Peggy's hesitation to pull the trigger. She cared for Bucky a lot, it would hurt her to have to put him down.

Bucky then slammed his eyes shut, his facial expression looked as if he had been hit with a pain in his head. Bucky snarled and shook his head. His eyes flew open again. Like he had just woken up. He looked at Peggy, his eyebrows pinched together, his eyes filled up. Peggy found out was his trigger was to get out of his brainwash. Steve's name. Whether it was Hydra didn't wipe Bucky enough this time time round she wasn't sure. But Bucky looked down at Steve on the floor "S...Steve?" Bucky gulped heavily and stumbled backwards. Steve looked up at Bucky and sat up, did he just hear that right? Bucky just said his name. He remembers "Buck?" Steve slowly began to stand up. His eyes fixed onto Bucky. As was Peggy.

Bucky all of a sudden began to felt dizzy. He was confused. He didn't know where he was or what just happened. His mind couldn't focus, his eyes began to drop. He looked to Peggy and back to Steve "What...help...me" Bucky breathed out. Then falling down to the floor.

Peggy walked forward and put her hands on Steve's back and they tried to comprehend what had happened. It didn't feel real. Steve glanced to Peggy "Does he?" feeling like he had to get some reassurance that this was actually happening.

Peggy's reply was simply a nod. They both looked at their unconscious friend. Peggy pulled a huge sigh of relief and lent her head against Steve's arm for a brief moment. She ran her hand through the back of his hair and asked.

"Do you think you can carry him?"

Steve, with his eyes still fixed on Bucky. Nodded "Yeah. Why?" Steve was too focused on his friend to really think through what he was saying.

Peggy then held her hand to her ear piece "This is Carter. We have Barnes. Get the hell out of your bases whilst you can" Steve was now over to Bucky. He slowly leaned down and flung him over his shoulder effortless. He was heavy. But Steve could clearly handle it.

"Cover me, baby" Steve grumbled as he walked closer to the door.

Peggy nodded and took a deep breath. She began to walk down the hall. With her gun in her hand.

"Peg" Peggy turned at Steve's voice. He grew a small smile and handed his shield over to her.

"This will cover us better. And you know first hand that it works"

* * *

**BUCKYYY. Yay! **

**So the secret engagement is out. That didn't last long and it seems Bucky remembers! Just how much? **

**There is going to be _one_ more chapter (If that goes to plan) before I round this story off as I will start planning the sequel that is going to be helping Bucky more and obviously the wedding amongst other things both happy and heartbreaking ;) **

**Thanks guys hope you enjoyed! Please leave reviews below of what you thought and what you think can happen in the future including the sequel. **


	35. Chapter 35

There were hardly any more Hydra agents to fight off as they made their way down the building. The team had taken them down very well. Peggy rested her gun at the top of the shield that she had held up to her chest. Steve remained behind her, with Bucky still unconscious over his shoulder.

It still felt surreal. As they walked down, Peggy demanded that the other agents get in the van and get ready to go as soon as they got to the van. Word will soon get out that the Winter Soldier is no longer in the hands of Hydra and they would like not to be tracked back to the shield base. The base was kept a secret from them and they intend for it to stay like that.

The rest of the avengers made their way back to the shield headquarters.

They made it back knowing if Steve and Peggy were on their way back with Bucky. All they could do right now is wait. Tony got out of his suit whilst the rest remained in theirs. Except Bruce of course. He needed a new set of clothes that were waiting for him in the shield locker room.

"So what do you think Barnes is going to be like?" Clint questioned the rest of them as he grabbed a cup of coffee. Natasha, with her arms crossed shrugged "Damaged"

"You think he'll ever get back to normal?" Sam added to Clint's question. Natasha glanced to Sam and once again shrugged "Now that Steve has got the two most important people in his life back he's finally back to 's been miserable for so long. I'm sure it'll be the same for Barnes"

Tony sighed and sat down at the common room table. He linked his hands together and stared at the table. Looking very lost in thought, he slowly shook his head. Looking very deep in thought, he then opened his mouth to speak, his eyebrows furrowed "I can't believe Carter isn't pregnant" He then leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on the back of his head "I just can't believe it"

"It sounds like you want it more than them" Natasha said with a laugh.

"I just hate being wrong. Also I really would have loved to try and see Rogers handle Carter when she's all hormonal and moody"

Natasha rolled her eyes at him, Clint and Sam on the other hand looked at each other. Both realizing that they actually think that would be funny to see.

Maria came back from wherever she went to "Fury is on his way back here now. Heard anything from Steve and Peggy?"

They all just shook their heads and sat down at the table, joining Tony. They remained quiet for a moment more when "Maybe she _is_ pregnant and they are getting engaged because she's pregnant-"

"Tony you're wrong let it go" Maria cut him off shaking her head at him. Tony huffed and sat back in his chair once again. He crossed his arms and pouted like a child.

"He's being brought back here?!" All their heads turned to the sound of one angry agents voice. A long brown haired male came bursting into the sights of the team. Followed by another male and female agent to try and keep him calm "He should have been put down there and then! We've just rebuilt shield and they are putting a parasite in-"

"Please, keep your voice down, Tom" The female agent said in a quiet yet stern voice. The three agents looked to see the Avenger team staring right at them. And they were like the cool kids in school, you wanted to impress them, not to be stared at by them like you're some crazy person. They quickly hurried away.

"I take it he was talking about Barnes...but why?" Sam shrugged.

No-one knew he was. Apart from Maria "That was Agent Thomas Smith. During the attack on hydra, his brother. Also an agent here was killed. He blames Barnes for his brothers death"

They understood. They get why this Agent Smith was angry. He was putting his anger on Bucky because he was grieving. It was clear that his pain was over shadowing the facts that was Bucky was just as much of a victim of Hydra than anyone. They could only hope that eventually he will realize that….and not try to effect Bucky's well being or position within this organization. If he chooses to have one.

* * *

Back in the car. Bucky was still unconscious. They buckled him tightly and securely. With straps going over his body. Steve just stared at him. With his hand linked with Peggy's. Her head resting against his shoulder.

"What are you going to do with him?" Sharon spoke up, also with her eyes glued to the soldier. Steve and Peggy looked to her. They hadn't really thought it through yet. They only got him, the next stages are going to be messy.

The two of them sighed.

"Take him to the hospital. Get him checked out, he'll most likely be there for a while, he's _damaged_" Peggy said as she glanced to her wounded friend. She sighed once more and then shrugged "Then we...hope he gets the same chance I was given"

"He will be. I'm sure Fury will understand"

"It's not Fury I'm worried about" Steve shook his head, glancing at Sharon he looked back to Bucky and admitted "It's the council that I'm worried about"

Peggy just looked at him. She didn't comment on it because to be honest. She was also worried that it could be the council who would mess it all up.

Sharon then stretched her leg out and tapped Peggy's knee with her foot "Hey"

Peggy leaned forward slightly and raised her eyebrows "What was this I heard about you being pregnant? And then something about being engaged. To be honest I was listening I was too busy with y'know"

Peggy laughed quietly as she saw the amused smirks on the other agents faces. She rolled her eyes and shook her head "I'm not pregnant, Sharon but we are engaged"

Steve then turned his head with a small smile on his face. Sharon on the other hand was gleaming "This is great. My neighbor and my aunt!" she said with a laugh. Making the two of them then do the same "Well congratulations you two, God knows you deserve it"

"Thank you, sweetheart" Peggy smiled giving Sharon's hand a squeeze with her free one. Steve also smiled and thanked her.

It then went back to being quiet. The agents talked amongst themselves in quiet tones. Sharon included. Steve went back to looking at Bucky, as did Peggy. She wrapped her arm around his and lent against him.

"It's rather amazing" Peggy spoke up.

"What is?"

"_All_ the words in the world. And the one thing they never thought would be his trigger was _your_ name. Says a lot about how much he missed you"

Steve bowed his head down, leaning his arms on his knees and rubbed his lips together "If I had just-"

"If you had just what? If you had just got to him in time on the train? If you had just figured out how to trigger him the first time you found out he was here? Stop beating yourself up on what ifs...he's here with you now. Focus on that"

"You're _so_ bossy" Steve mumbled with a small smirk as he sat back up and faced her.

"Yes, because that's new information" she sarcastically teased. She kissed him on the cheek and then looked back to Bucky.

"Feels odd having him back and not hearing his little comments"

"When he's back to normal he's going to have a field day knowing how we ended up"

Peggy smiled. She liked him hearing that. Hope. Something that Steve hadn't had in a while regarding Bucky. He found himself always doubting everything when it came to saving his best friend. He thought he'd always screw it up. Deep down inside, he was proud. Of his team, of Peggy and even of himself. But he won't admit to that.

_"So_,_ are you ready for that mission tomorrow?" Bucky asked as he walked into Steve's room._

_"Sure...the train part is making me nervous though" Steve raised his eyebrows and laughed as he put his book down and sat up on his bed. Bucky jumped on the sofa and rested his feet up "I promise I'll jump after you if you fall" Bucky teased, pointing to Steve._

_"Thank you"_

_"Well what are best friends for-hey! You coming out tonight?"_

_Steve sighed and shook his head with a laugh. He can hardly keep up with his fellow commandos. He can't get drunk but it still takes it out of him staying up such late hours with Bucky and the rest of the men, and Bucky seems to not be getting enough of it. He loves it, actually. Maybe it was because he picks up a girl or two along the way on some nights. But, that's just him bragging._

_"No way"_

_"Aw come on, Steve! Grab your army uniform and suit up! The ladies love it-oh wait you can't you're already promised to someone"_

_Steve rolled his eyes and stood up, he walked over to his wardrobe to put on a sweater "I'm not promised to her"_

_"Stevie" Bucky laugh "The woman shot at you for being kissed by another woman...that was basically a warning to stay away from other women. So congratulations on getting married"_

_"I still can't believe she shot at me"_

_"I still can't believe you haven't made a move" Bucky muttered as he poured himself a glass of whiskey. Steve walked back over and sat on the bed facing his pal "I'm...waiting"_

_"For what? For Peggy to kiss you?" He laughed, he went to take another sip of his drink but paused and added "You do what you gotta do but don't wait too long. If a woman like that was interested in me I know I certainly wouldn't"_

_Bucky then looked back to Steve and gotten back onto the subject of going out to the pub that was down the street "Dugan wanted you to come tonight. With the chance that we might die tomorrow and all"_

_"Come on. No-one's gonna die, especially you. And that is an order my friend"_

_"Well sir yes sir" Bucky laughed giving him a salute "You're still a punk"_

_"And you're still a jerk"_

_"But your life would be empty without me right" Bucky stated with a weight of self confidence backing him up. Steve looked his best friend in the eyes for a moment and then nodded "Of course. Who else would I have to annoy me with messing my hair up or punching me as a hello or talking about my love life"_

_"You're twenty six and have only just gotten a girl I am making up for lost time, okay?"_

_Steve smirked and nodded._

_"Life was easier when we were younger, huh?"_

_"What like when we were ten and we used to build forts with pillows and pretend to be aeroplanes running down the street?"_

_"Exactly"_

_"Those were the days alright" Bucky nodded to Steve. Bucky finished off his whiskey and stood up "Well, can't keep those idiots waiting, you sure you don't wanna come?"_

_"I'm sure. I'd rather sit out on this one. Peggy actually wants me in the morning so"_

_"I bet she does" Bucky said with a little tune in his tone as he punched Steve's shoulder. Steve then stood up and walked over to the door with Bucky "Fine. Fine, if you won't have a drink with your bestfriend then...I guess that's okay" Bucky nodded, looking down at the ground. Clearly putting on the guilt trip to Steve. And it was working. Steve put his hands on his hips and shook his head "Well. Goodnight Buck"_

_"Goodnight Stevie" Bucky nodded and hugged Steve, giving him a manly pat on the back before leaving and heading to the pub to meet the rest of the commandos._

_It took Steve about two minutes to give in to going to meet Bucky and the rest of the men. He put on his army suit and made his way down to the bar._

_When Steve walked through the door, he saw Bucky stood by the bar with a pint of beer beside his own. Steve tilted his head and walked over to the bar. Bucky smirked as he drank the beer. Steve pointed to the full glass beside him "Who's that for?"_

_"You" Bucky shrugged and then flashed a smile "I knew you'd come"_

* * *

A little while later. They reached the shield headquarters. The agents all got out of the van.

Peggy offered to stay in the van and go further round the headquarters to the hospital at the back, but Steve insisted it was okay and that she should go grab a drink and meet up with the team. She knew that deep down he was wanting to take some time alone with Bucky. Like he did when it was Peggy who was lying unconscious. So she got out of the van and let Steve go. She walked into the building and walked into common area. She figured that's where they'd be. And they were. Nat was the first to see her walk through the door. She shot up and walked over to Peggy, instantly putting her arms around her "You okay?"

Peggy nodded and smiled as they pulled apart and looked to each other "Yes, I am, are you?"

"You know me" Natasha shrugged with a laugh "I'm always okay...and by the way I am really happy for you, Tony on the other hand is still very upset that you aren't pregnant"

Peggy smirked and then shrugged "Marriage first perhaps"

They walked over to the team. Checking up on all of them and then they gave their personal congratulations face to face.

"How is he? Barnes I mean" Natasha asked with a genuine tone of concern in her voice.

Peggy placed her hands on her hips and rubbed her lips together "He's...honestly...I don't know. He remembers that's for sure, but he collapsed, God knows the things that Hydra have put in his system"

"Poor guy" Sam shook his head.

"At least he's out of there though right? He can get the help that he deserves" Maria shrugged as she sat back down at the table. Peggy nodded as she sat facing her, taking the cup of tea that Tony handed to her "Yes. It is good"

Fifteen minutes later and they were still there. It was inevitable that the ladies got on to the subject of Peggy and Steve getting married. Now that they had Bucky. Peggy could finally start thinking about it properly. The women talked about the wedding, whilst the men talked about...well...anything else. Although Tony couldn't help but asked "Who's going to be the best man. It'll be me right?"

"Why should it be you? It should be me!" Sam motioned his hand to Tony as he shook his head at him.

"I think we are all not thinking clearly on who's Cap's favorite" Clint raised his hand and pointed to himself.

"Clint, I can speak for myself" Bruce smirked as he walked over from getting changed. Not really knowing what the subject of the conversation was about.

Peggy laughed and lightly shook her head "Sorry boys but I'm sure it'll be Buck"

"The guys back for two minutes and he's already one of the most important people in the wedding" Tony said as he slapped Bruce on the shoulder as if to say 'unbelievable am I right' but Bruce just shrugged. Still not knowing what was really going on "Well" he shrugged.

"No longer is Bucky Barnes the Winter Soldier. Bucky Barnes is The Best Man" Sam mocked putting on a movie narrator voice. Making the rest of them laugh.

"You think this is funny?" Peggy, Natasha and Sam turned as their backs were facing the voice whilst the rest of them just looked up to Agent Smith standing behind them. Usually he would be too anxious to talk to them but. There was fuel added to his fire.

"That man deserves a bullet in the back of his head for the pain he has caused" Peggy glanced to Natasha at the agents words.

"Smith's brother was killed in one of the attacks that Bucky was apart of"Natasha very quietly mumbled, Peggy nodded and sighed. This was going to be difficult "Agent Smith, what Bucky did was not under his own free will"

Smith scoffed "You believe that bullshit?"

"I do. Because _I_ went through it" Peggy nodded.

"No, it's different. Barnes was working for them for so long he knew what he was doing"

Peggy shook her head and kept the same soft tone "He didn't"

"If he wasn't Rogers pal then Cap himself would have put him down, he's letting a killer be apart of this"

Peggy then stood up. She wouldn't have anyone talk about Steve in a disrespectful manner, especially when he wasn't here to defend himself. She knew Smith was grieving. Which is why she was going to yell. But she was going to be firm.

"I know you're hurting. But watch what you say about _him_"

"Don't you get it Carter?! Have yours and your boyfriend's morals flew out the window when that murderous old friend of yours came back into your reach"

He then pissed her off. A lot.

"Agent know your boundaries on things you do not understand! You have no idea what those men have been through"

"You have no idea what I've been through!" all of a sudden Smith's hand flew to Peggy's arm and grabbed hold of it extremely tight. The team stood up and went to do something when

"Hey!" their heads snapped to Steve walking towards them at a very fast pace, his eyes fixed on the man that was currently taking hold of his fiance in such an aggressive manner. Steve grabbed Smith's hand and teared it off of Peggy's arm. He pushed Smith back and stood in front of Peggy. Getting in Smith's face he snarled "Touch her again and I swear to God it won't be those guys out there that you'll have to worry about...it'll be me. Do you understand me, _Agent_?"

Smith glanced to Peggy and the rest of them and then sheepishly nodded "Yes" he mumbled in a bitter tone and walked away, avoiding eye contact with them all.

It was silent for a moment. Peggy lent her forehead against Steve's back and said she looked back up "He's hurting. He lost someone and blames Bucky" Peggy mumbled as she rubbed Steve's back, in a way to make him both calm down and eventually turn to her.

"I don't care. He shouldn't have laid his hands on you...but I understand he's angry" Steve sighed as he turned to her. He calmed down almost instantly. He just didn't like what he saw. Something came over him. Protection.

Steve kissed Peggy on the forehead and embraced her tightly, he glanced to the team behind her and gave a small smile to say 'hi' they all returned the same one with a little nod.

After a short time being spent with the team. Steve and Peggy made their way down to the hospital base to see their friend. When Steve got Bucky admitted. The last thing they said to him was that Bucky would have an extremely difficult time getting through his past. He would feel pain. Extreme pain. They thought Peggy's was bad? Bucky's was going to be worse. _50 years_ worse in fact. So Bucky would have to stay in hospital for a long time. But right now, he was still out cold. Which made it easier for the doctors to run tests on his brain. Steve and Peggy looked at Bucky lay in his hospital bed through the large 'viewing' window.

"Are we not allowed to go in?"

Steve shook his head "No, not yet. The doctors will tell us when we can go see him, but right now he's having test done. Doctors are in and out of his room...see" Steve nodded his head to the doctor who went into Bucky's room.

Steve stared at Bucky and asked Peggy "What was that Agent saying about him?"

"Oh Steve, it doesn't matter"

"It does to me, what did he say?"

Peggy rubbed her lips together, she opened her mouth and at first her words sounded as if they were stuck. She didn't want him to get mad or upset for what some agents may be thinking.

"H-He called Bucky a murderer, said that he should have been put down"

"What else?"

"Steve please-"

"I need to know what people think of him"

"Why?"

Steve paused for a moment and took a deep breath "Because I need to know in order to watch their faces when they are proven wrong"

Peggy placed her hands on his, she understood him. She understood why he wanted to prove people wrong. He didn't want anyone doubting his motives for helping Bucky. Or to judge Bucky for his past "He then just said that if it was anyone else and not Bucky. Then you would have killed him yourself"

Steve shut his eyes and rubbed his eyelids, shaking his head. "That's just-"

"Utter bollocks, I know" Peggy muttered as she lent against his shoulder "It'll get easier from now on, you know that right?"

"I suppose"

"You have him back, it can only get better from here" Peggy smiled as she looked back up to him "Trust me" she added in a whisper as she kissed his cheek. Steve turned his head and then pressed his lips against hers. He turned his body to face her and pulled her closer but wrapped his arms around her waist. Letting go of her lips but didn't move an inch away, he whispered "Thank you. This would have been a hell of a lot harder without you by my side" Peggy smirked against his lips and whispered back "Well, I am marrying you. You'll have me by your side for the rest of your life"

"_That_ long?"

"You're funny" Peggy raised her eyebrows, giving him another kiss.

* * *

They were eventually allowed to go into Bucky's room and sit with him. He was still unconscious but it was likely he could hear them talk to him. Peggy remembers Steve talking to her when she was in her sleep.

"I can't wait for you to meet the team Buck, they're all really excited to meet you"

"Yeah, they are already getting ready for an arm contest" Peggy said with a weak laugh. It was still hard, seeing Bucky like this. Knowing what he went through. What they went through together, she wishes she could have saved him liked he saved her. Because deep down he did. Without him, she wouldn't have seen Steve on that motorbike and then she wouldn't have gone after him a second time. But he was going to be okay. They knew he was. She squeezed Steve's hand slightly tighter.

"I guess I owe you that ten dollars...you won the bet. I _am_ marrying her" he laughed, seeing the slight look of confusion and surprise on Peggy's face in the corner of his eyes. Steve always wished that it would happen. But Bucky just knew. Which is why he willing to risk a whole ten dollars on it. Steve just gave Peggy an amused smirk, looking at her in the corner of his eyes. She licked her bottom lip and looked back to Bucky with a tiny smile written across her face. Bucky will be laughing inside right now. Steve then got an idea that he played music Bucky liked. Just like he did for her. Bucky loved Louis Armstrong. So Steve got out his phone and played Blueberry Hill. His favourite.

"I did this for you y'know?"

"I know" Peggy smiled and kissed his temple as she slid her hand down his neck and back into his hand.

"Do you think he'll get back to normal?" Steve asked with a worry in his tone. Peggy glanced to Bucky and looked back to Steve. Who's eyes were still fixed on Bucky.

"I know he will"

"You _know_?"

"Yes, because I did didn't I? You bring out the best in people, Rogers" She smiled. All of a sudden, her phone began to ring. Steve pulled her phone out of his jacket and handed it to her. She looked down to see that it was the nursing home "Oh bloody hell, I was meaning to call Angie, excuse me darling" Peggy stood up and squeezed his shoulder as she went to leave the room "Give her my best" Steve looked behind him to see Peggy turn her back to the window whilst she was on her phone.

He looked back to Bucky and reached for his hand "I got you, Buck. Brothers for life, right? Till the end of the line" he smiled. There was _no_ doubt that Bucky was going to wake up soon. The doctors said so themselves that he was in no critical danger. And yes, it was going to be hard. Steve knew that, he was getting prepared for that, to help his friend in anyway he can to get better. And he will get better, as for the council? Well, they would handle that together. Steve and Peggy will fight for Bucky's rights as the rest of the team no doubt, because he was a victim. Who deserves his life back. Steve was going to make sure he was going to get it.

For the first time in _seventy_ years. Things were looking up for Steve Rogers. And although they tried to kill him at first. He had the two people he loves most back in his life. Bucky, his partner in crime, his best friend. His brother. And Peggy, his guidance, the love of his life. And now his _fiance_. Like Peggy said, things can only get better from now.

_Like getting married._

* * *

**_FIN. _**

**Well, for now at least. I was so emotional writing this I've been having writers block cause I didn't want it to suck and I hope to god that it didn't suck for a finale. **

**So that's it for this part of steggy ever after. Bucky is back and will be the a main part of the sequel :)) I can't wait to get started on the sequel, I'll try to not make you guys wait too long ;) **

**Thank you for all the support I have had a blast writing this it's been my favorite storyline I've ever written. Don't be shy to drop thoughts on what you think is going to happen in the sequel and what you would like to see! **

**Hope you guys enjoyed. **

**Follow my twitter missagentatwell or my instagram welovesteggy as I will be posting first hand when the sequel will be up. I hope you stay with me on this steggy journey :) **


	36. Chapter 36

**For those who don't already know. The sequel has started and has been posted. **

**To Have and To Hold is the title. **

**:) hope you guys enjoy the next part of my steggy _happy_ ending. **


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